Trust Me
by Piper Elizabeth
Summary: Sequel to "My Girl."  After finally admitting their feelings for each other, Brennan and Booth move on with their life as a couple.  But will they have the happily ever after we all want for them?
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Trust Me

**Disclaimer:** Bones and its affiliated characters do not belong to me. I mean no copyright infringement.

**Summary:** Sequel to "My Girl." After finally admitting their feelings for each other, Brennan and Booth move on with their life as a couple. But will they have the happily ever after we all want for them?

**Spoilers:** Nothing specific from the series.

**Note:** You don't necessarily have to have read my first story, "My Girl," but reading it first will help this story make more sense. This story takes place before season 5.

**Chapter 1**

3 Months Later

Saturday

6:31 AM

Booth drifted into consciousness with a slight smile on his face. It was rare that he didn't wake up with a smile ever since he and Brennan had become more than just partners. Thinking of her made Booth smile even wider. With his eyes closed, he reached over and felt for her. All he felt were cool sheets. Booth rolled over and opened just one eye. He was disappointed that she wasn't next to him. Rubbing his tired eyes, Booth looked around his bedroom. She wasn't anywhere to be found. Booth slid out of bed, threw on a pair of boxers, and walked through his apartment. He saw Brennan sitting on the couch with her laptop on her lap. She had her hair up in a sloppy ponytail and was wearing one of his gray FBI T-Shirts and nothing else. She looked incredible. Sure, Brennan looked good in anything she wore, but she looked the most beautiful and sexy with her hair in a ponytail and his FBI shirt on.

Booth watched as Brennan's fingers flew over the keyboard as she typed. She was obviously working on her latest novel. Booth knew that she was almost finished with the manuscript due to the fact that she had been working on it every chance she got. She would be sending it off to her publisher any day. Booth leaned over, trying to catch a glimpse of what she was typing. She never let him read the novels before they were published.

"Stop reading over my shoulder," Brennan said without even hesitating with her typing.

"Good morning to you," he replied as he leaned over the back of the couch and kissed her on the top of her head. "You're up early."

"I wanted to get some work done."

"Oh yeah?"

"I was inspired."

"Inspired, huh?" He leaned over again, trying to read what she was typing. She lowered the laptop screen.

"No reading," she insisted.

"Why?"

"Because you can read it when the book is published."

"What's the point of being in relationship with a best selling author if I can't read her books before they're published?" Brennan didn't answer. She went back to typing. "So, what was your inspiration?"

"Hmm?"

"What was your inspiration that has you up and writing at 6:30 in the morning? Would it have anything to do with last night?" He asked, suggestively.

"It's not that kind of scene, Booth."

"That's too bad."

Booth sauntered off into the kitchen and began preparing a pot of coffee.

"What time are we meeting Frank?" Booth asked.

"Eight o'clock, Booth. Just like last Saturday."

Brennan put her laptop down on the coffee table and walked off to meet him in the kitchen. He was standing in front of the sink, filling the coffee pot with water. Brennan went up behind him and put her arms around his waist. She hugged him and kissed the back of his neck. Booth finished putting the coffee pot together and turned around. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned down to kiss her.

"Now that's a proper good morning kiss," he said. "I've got a good feeling about today, Bones."

"I feel fine about today as well."

He smiled. "That's not what I meant. I meant, I think today is going to be the day we find what we're looking for."

"I don't know how you can know that."

"Call it a gut instinct."

"There's no scientific evidence that…"

"I'm going to take a shower," Booth interrupted. He let her go and walked down the hallway towards the bathroom. "You coming?"

6:02 PM

Brennan stood in front of the blank, white wall. She took a step back and then another step forward. She put her hands on her hips and simply stared straight forward. She squinted, took two steps back and kept her eyes trained on the wall. Booth appeared in the doorway and looked at her. He tried to see what she was so busy concentrating on, but all he saw was the blank wall. Whatever she was staring at, she looked good doing it. Quietly, Booth tiptoed over to her. He snaked his arm around her waist and leaned his head on her shoulder.

She gasped. "You scared me," she said as she put her hand in his.

"Sorry. What are you looking at?" He asked quietly.

"The wall."

"The wall?"

"Yes, the wall."

"Why are you staring at the wall?"

"Because it's too small."

"Too small for what?"

"For an office. I need room for bookshelves, Booth, and it's too small."

"I don't think it's too small."

"I do. I don't like this house, Booth."

"This house is perfect, Bones."

Brennan stepped away from him and walked out the door. Booth followed her. She went down the hallway and down a set of stairs that badly needed new carpeting. She walked right into the empty living room. Frank, the realtor they had been working with, was standing in the middle of the room, looking at some paperwork. He looked up when he saw them.

"So, what do you think?" Frank asked.

"We don't like it," Brennan stated.

"Bones," Booth said sharply. He was so used to how upfront Brennan could be, he sometimes forgot how off-putting and abrupt she could be to others.

"This house is a steal," the realtor explained. "Three bedrooms, a two car garage, two and a half baths. It's got everything you two are looking for."

"We don't like it," Brennan repeated. She headed right for the front door.

"Could you excuse us for a minute?" Booth asked.

Frank nodded. Booth followed Brennan to the door. He opened the door, put his hand on her back, and ushered her outside. The sky had turned a brilliant shade of pink and orange. The sun was just beginning to set. Booth didn't know how another weekend day had slipped away from them. They had started at ten that morning in a house on the other side of town. Booth felt exhausted. He was tired of talking about the number of bedrooms, hardwood verses carpet, and square footage. It was the third weekend in a row that they had been led around by Frank. He felt like they had seen every house in the DC area, but nothing suited them.

"Bones, can we talk about this?" Booth asked. Brennan was already halfway to the car when she stopped to talk to Booth.

"What is there to talk about?"

"This house. It's perfect."

"No, it's not. I told you, the office is too small."

"The house is three times the size of your apartment, Bones. How can the office be too small?"

"If we're going to buy a house, Booth, I want it to suit both our needs. This one doesn't fit my needs."

"I just don't understand why you need so much room for a desk and your laptop!"

"I have more than just a desk and a laptop, Booth."

"I wasn't being literal."

"Then what were you being?"

"I just think this house is a really great find, Bones," Booth said.

"It's not just the office, Booth. This place isn't…us!"

"According to you, none of the places we've seen have been us, Bones. We've been searching for weeks. Every house is either too big or too small or doesn't have a big enough backyard or doesn't have a big enough kitchen! Why do we need a big kitchen, Bones? Neither of us ever cook!"

"Now you're angry with me."

"I'm not angry. I'm…frustrated."

Brennan walked back over to him.

"I'm sorry," Brennan said. "I've never bought a house before, Booth. I've never done something so…permanent."

"Are you having second thoughts about buying a house?"

She shook her head. "No, not second thoughts. I want to buy a house with you, Booth. I want permanent."

He smiled. "Good, me too."

"If you like this house, we can get it."

"What about your office?"

"I can make it work."

This time it was Booth who shook his head. "No."

"No?"

"I want you to have everything you've ever wanted. And if this house isn't it, we'll keep looking."

"Really?"

"Really."

Booth leaned down and kissed her. It had been nine months since they had declared themselves to be an item and it still struck Booth that he could kiss her any time he wanted. He didn't need to hide his emotions anymore. He had never been happier.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," said Frank as he opened the front door. Booth and Brennan separated. "Have you made any decisions?"

"We're not interested," Booth answered. "We'd like to keep looking."

Frank nodded. "Well, I'm afraid you both have been through most of my listings. I'll have to check back in at my office. Perhaps we can…" Frank's cell phone rang. "Excuse me." He stepped back into the house and answered his phone.

"Maybe we should take a break for a while," Booth suggested to Brennan.

"You mean about buying a house?"

"Yeah, you know. Maybe if we stop looking, something will find us."

"That doesn't make any sense, Booth."

"Just trust me, Bones. Sometimes the best thing to do is to give ourselves some space."

"That doesn't help us solve the problem of whose apartment we're going to stay at."

Booth sighed. They were both tired of trying to decide whose apartment to stay at. Once they had decided to buy a house together, they each decided to hold on to their apartments until they moved in together. The problem was, every night they argued about which apartment to go to. Usually Brennan won, citing that her bed was bigger, but Booth often pulled the 'no tv' card and they stayed at Booth's apartment.

"It's my turn, Bones," Booth said.

"No it isn't."  
"We stayed at your apartment last night."

"And last week we stayed at your apartment two nights in a row."

"Yeah, but there's a game on TV tonight."

She leaned in to whisper in his ear. "And I promise you that when we get home, the last thing you're going to be caring about is TV."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," she whispered, taking his earlobe between her teeth.

"Your apartment it is," Booth agreed.

Brennan smiled and walked off to the car.

"Hey!" Booth yelled after her, realizing that he had just been played.

"What?"

"You tricked me."

"No, I didn't. I simply used my knowledge of what turns you on to get my way."

"Did Angela teach you that?"

Booth never got his answer as Frank came out of the house.

"I just got a call from my office," Frank said. "They just put a new house in the market. I think you two would like it. I could show you tonight."

"I think we're all set for today," Booth replied.

"This house is as good price. It won't stay on the market for long."

Brennan shrugged.

"Ok," Booth answered.

"It's just on the other side of town," Frank explained. "It's pretty close to your office, Mrs. Booth."

"My name is Dr. Brennan," Brennan stated coldly. "I'm not his wife."

"Right, of course, I'm sorry. Most of the couples I show houses to are…married. My mistake."

"Marriage is an antiquated ritual," Brennan responded. "Traditionally, it's meant to show ownership passing from a woman's father to her husband. It's an unnecessary tradition in our society. I don't believe in marr…"

"We'll…meet you there," Booth interrupted. "Come on, Bones."

Booth opened the car door for Brennan. She had finally stopped arguing about him opening the door for her. She just accepted it as him being an alpha male. Booth went around the car and got in on the driver's side. He started up the car and backed out of the driveway. He started to follow Frank down the street.

"Did you have to give him a lecture on your opinions on marriage, Bones?"

"I was simply stating fact, Booth."

"Maybe fact according to you, Bones. Some people actually believe in marriage. As matter of fact, Frank had a ring on his finger so I'm guessing he's one of those people."

"Well, I'm not. You should know that, Booth."

"Yeah, I know," he said. He concentrated on the road, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

They followed Frank in silence. Brennan glanced over at Booth every once and a while. She could tell that something was wrong. He was too quiet. She just didn't know why. Booth, on the other hand, didn't look over at Brennan at all. He was angry and he knew exactly why. Of course he knew that Brennan had never been the marrying kind. She had made it very clear from the moment they started working together that she did not believe in marriage, but he had hoped that things would change. He had hoped that things had changed, but they hadn't and he was devastated.

"Booth?" Brennan finally said.

"What?" Booth snapped.

"Frank is getting out of his car."

Booth looked ahead of him and realized that Frank had pulled over and stopped the car. Booth had unknowingly pulled up to the curb behind him, but hadn't turned off the car. He turned the car off and got out of the car. As usual, he was going to walk around the car and open Brennan's door, but he didn't. If she didn't believe in marriage, maybe he didn't believe in opening her doors.

Expecting Booth to open the door as he always did, Brennan waited a few extra seconds. As she watched him walk towards the house, Brennan got out of the car on her own and followed Booth over to the front of the house.

"This house is great," Frank said. "It was just put on the market. I have to admit I haven't had the chance to look at it myself, but I've got the stats." He opened up a folder and began reading off a description of the house. "It's got four bedrooms and three baths. It's got a two car garage and a great backyard. All new appliances and the windows were redone last year.

The house is only about fifteen years old so it's in great shape. And it's in a great neighborhood."

Frank opened the front door and they walked inside. The room they walked was a large, empty living room. The floors were a dark hardwood and the walls were bare. A large fireplace was against one wall and was obviously the focal point of the room.

"It's nice," Booth said as he began to look around.

"Hardwoods in all the rooms," Frank continued. "Gas heat. Central air. The four bedrooms and two of the baths are upstairs. This house is in excellent condition."

Brennan was quiet a she walked through the living room and into a second room.

"That could be used as a separate parlor or office," Frank suggested.

Brennan stared at the wall.

"It's big enough for my office," she stated.

Booth sighed in relief. Her having the right office was important. Unlike at the last house, Brennan didn't linger in the room. She knew right when she saw it that it would suit her needs. Instead, she made her way into the kitchen. She glanced quickly at the appliances, but that wasn't what she was interested in. She had something much more important she wanted to look at. Brennan made her way up the steps that were off to the side of the kitchen and walked upstairs. Three of the bedrooms and one of the bathrooms was two one side while the master bedroom with attached bathroom was off the other. Brennan quickly made her way into the master bedroom. It was probably larger than the bedroom in her apartment and the bedroom in Booth's apartment combined. Next, she walked to the other side of the house to look at the three extra bedrooms. The first one on the left would make an excellent bedroom for Parker. Brennan walked to the next bedroom. She looked in and smiled. It would be perfect. She turned back around, not even bothering to look at the last bedroom or the bathroom. Instead, she made her way back down the stairs. Booth was standing in the kitchen.

"I like it," Brennan said.

"It is nice," Booth agreed. He was still angry about Brennan's earlier statement, but he realized he was going to have to let it go, at least temporarily.

"It's perfect." Brennan reached for his hand. "It's us."

Booth let all of his anger go. With just one touch from her, he couldn't stand to be angry anymore. She had this undeniable power over him and he loved it. Frank walked into the kitchen, still looking at his folder.

"Electric stove. Energy efficient refrigerator.. The tile was…"

"How much?" Brennan interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Frank asked.

"How much are the owners selling the house for?"

"It's a little more than the price range you gave me," Frank answered.

"How much?" Brennan repeated.

"They're asking four hundred thousand, but we could possibly get it down to three hundred ninety."

Booth's eyes widened. "That's way above our budget," Booth said.

"As I said…" Frank began.

"We'll take it," Brennan said.

"We'll…what?" Booth asked.

"We'll take it."

"Bones, we agreed that three hundred forty was our absolute limit and that was pushing it."

"I can buy this house, Booth. It's not a problem."

"It is a problem."

"Why? I'm quite rich."

"So you keep reminding me."

"I'll...ah...give you two a minute," Frank said. He quickly closed his folder and went back into the living room.

"I don't understand what the problem is," Brennan said. "I have the money, Booth. We like this house. Let me buy it for us."

"That's not what we agreed. We agreed that we would split it. And we agreed that our budget was three hundred forty."

"Yes, but it doesn't have to be. I have the money, Booth. I have more than enough. I can..."

"No!"

"Why not? I'm obviously wealthier than you, Booth. I make more money than you do. A lot more money. What's the problem?"

Booth threw his hands up in the air. "Fine!" He stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the front door as he left.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I know it's been a while since I finished "My Girl" and I said I would write a sequel, so I apologize for that, but I don't like to start posting a story until I am absolutely sure that I can finish it, so that's why I waited so long. Now I am absolutely sure I will finish it (and it's going to be a long one). I hope you liked the first chapter. As always, I love reviews so don't forget to write them!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Saturday

7:23 PM

"You're angry," Brennan said as Booth drove them back to her apartment. They hadn't spoken a word since they had left the house. Booth didn't respond to Brennan. She glanced over at him and saw that his eyes were totally focused on the road. He hadn't even glanced over at her once. "Booth?"

He still didn't answer. Confused, Brennan extended her hand to put it on his leg. He never could stay angry at her for long when he felt her touch.

"Don't," he warned.

She withdrew her hand. She had never heard him sound so volatile towards her.

"I don't understand why you're angry," she said.

"Of course you don't."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ask Angela."

"Excuse me?"

"Ask Angela. She'll know why I'm angry."

"I don't know what Angela has to do with any of this." He didn't respond. "I understand that you're angry because of the house. But that's what I don't understand. The house is very suitable for our needs. It has everything that we both wanted in a house. So, I don't understand why you are so angry."

"It's not the house, Bones."

"Then what is it?"

"It's...it's...nothing."

Booth pulled up in front of her apartment building and stopped the car.

"It's obviously something."

"I don't want to talk about it, Bones."

"But, I don't…"

"I said I don't want to talk about it."

Brennan nodded, knowing she wasn't going to get anywhere. It wasn't surprising that they were having an argument. They argued constantly, but they usually only argued about their cases. They hardly ever argued about anything that had to do with their personal lives.

Brennan didn't move. Usually Booth didn't just drop her off in front of her apartment. Even if he couldn't stay, he would at least turn off the car, open her car door, and walk her to her apartment. Brennan was sitting, waiting for him to make the first move. Of course she didn't need him to open the door for her, but it was a gesture she had grown accustomed to.

"Is there a problem?" He asked with anger in his voice.

"Aren't you coming in?" She replied.

"Nope." He didn't look at her when he spoke.

"But I thought we agreed earlier that we'd stay at my apartment tonight."

"I'm not staying."

Brennan could sense the hostility in his voice. She just wasn't sure what the cause of it was or what it meant.

"Would you like to stay at your apartment?" She offered even though she was not really interesting in staying at his apartment. She much preferred staying at her apartment where the thread count on her sheets was much higher.

"I'll be staying at my apartment," Booth explained calmly. "You can stay at your apartment."

"But I thought we…"

"Do you need me to open the door for you, Temperance, or can you do it yourself?" Booth snapped.

Brennan didn't quite know how to act towards his hostility. He never called her Temperance. Brennan decided if he was going to be aggravated with her, she could throw it right back at him.

"I'm perfectly capable of opening my own door, Seeley."

She threw open the door, climbed out of the car, and slammed the door shut behind her. She walked briskly down the brick path towards her apartment. She didn't look back once as she reached her apartment building. She opened the front door and immediately made her way to her apartment, bypassing the elevators. She didn't know why Booth was angry, but she knew that she was angry at him. She didn't know why she was angry either.

Booth watched her disappear into her apartment building. He rammed his fist into his steering wheel, unable to control his anger any longer. He was angry with Brennan for being so stubborn about the marriage issue and he was angry with her for suggesting that she pay for more of the house than he did. It wasn't his fault that she was a brilliant scientist and best selling author on the side and made enough that she would never have to work again. He was doing the best he could to provide a decent living for him and his family. He wanted to be the provider. He needed to be the provider.

With anger coursing through him, Booth threw the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. He needed one thing and one thing only. A drink. Booth headed for the one place he knew never failed him.

In her apartment, Brennan walked to her refrigerator and pulled out a beer. She popped the top off and took a long drink. She still couldn't understand what Booth was so angry about. The house was perfect. It was right near the lab, it had enough space for both of them and Parker, and it was in a nice neighborhood, which Brennan read was important. Brennan couldn't see what was wrong. She took another sip of her beer before deciding that the best thing for her to do would be to take her mind off of the whole situation and just go to work. Work was the only thing that took her mind off anything and everything. Brennan put the beer down and grabbed her car keys off the counter. The only thing on her mind was the bones she would be examining within minutes.

Brennan drove to the Jeffersonian at top speed. When she turned into the parking garage, she immediately realized that she was the only one there except for security. Of course, she shouldn't have been surprised. It was a Saturday night.

Not letting it bother her, Brennan walked into the Jeffersonian and went straight into her office. She immediately traded her coat for her lab coat. She didn't bother to check her e-mail or to stop to see if she had any messages. Instead, she headed straight for the bone room. Her goal was to identify a two-hundred year old skeleton that consisted only of a right femur, the left hand with only three fingers, and the collar bone. It was one of the trickiest cases she had seen in a while. She had been working on it for months, but hadn't made much headway. Her next step was to try to recreate the whole skeleton. It was a difficult process, but she was determined to finish it.  
Brennan carefully laid the remaining parts of the skeleton out on the table in the middle of the platform. The first thing she did, like she always did, was take a careful look at the bones to make sure there was nothing she had missed the first time. Of course, she had taken the bones out over and over again and had examined them in every way possible, but it never stopped her from looking again. As soon s he was sure that the bones were exactly the same as the last time she had seen them, Brennan took out a container of plaster of paris and rolled up her sleeves. Even though Angela had already done a reconstruction of the body from what little she had to go on, Brennan wanted to see the real thing. In order to do that, she was going to have to make the bones herself. Determined, Brennan set to work. 

8:44 PM

Booth was sitting at the bar at the Founding Fathers, downing a scotch. As soon as he was done, he asked for another. He knew he had probably reached his limit, but he still wanted one more. He had been there for over an hour and had lost count of how many drinks he had. He knew he was going to have to find a ride home. He was in no condition to drive.

"Woman or work?" The bartender asked as he took another glass out from behind the bar.

"Excuse me?"

The bartender began to pour Booth's drink. "When you've been a bartender as long as I have, you learn that men drink for one of two reasons: because of their work or because of a woman. And, since it's a Saturday, I'm guessing it's a woman." He handed the glass of scotch over to Booth.

"Yeah, it's a woman," Booth replied.

"Must be that brunette I've seen you with."

Booth cocked his eyebrow. He never realized just how frequently he and Brennan went to the bar.

"That's the one," Booth said as he sipped his scotch.

"She's a real looker."

Booth shot the bartender a warning glance. Booth wasn't dumb. He knew other men checked Brennan out all the time, but he'd be damned if he was going to let someone talk about it in front of him. Brennan was his.

"Easy there, buddy. I've been a happily married man for over thirty-five years," the bartender said, showing Booth his ring. "Doesn't mean I can't appreciate a beautiful woman when I see one, though."

"Thirty-five years, huh?" Booth asked.

"Yup."

"How do you do it?"

The bartender laughed. "You want to know my secret, son?" He didn't wait for Booth's answer. "I apologize…a lot. I apologize for things that aren't my fault. I apologize for things that I had nothing to do with. Trust me, it's never failed."

Booth chuckled. "Yeah, well, this might not be so easy."

"Oh?"

He didn't know why, but Booth felt like the bartender understood him. He couldn't go to one of his friends like Hodgins because he knew Brennan too well. And he certainly couldn't tell Sweets because he would overanalyze the whole thing. No, a complete stranger was definitely the person to talk to.

"Let me ask you something," Booth said.

"Sure."

"What would you do if your wife were more successful than you? If she made more money than you did and wasn't afraid to show it?"

"Then I'd retire and sit home on my lazy ass all day and catch the game."

"Really?"

"Really. What could be better than having someone take care of everything for you?"

"You wouldn't feel like you have to take care of her? Like you have to be the provider?"

"Why? Because I'm a man and she's a woman? If my wife wants to be more successful than me, that's fine with me. As it is, she's been a social worker for more than twenty years. The pays terrible, but she loves it so I don't think I have to worry about her making more dough than me any time soon. But even if she did, I'd be fine with it."

"She wants to buy me a house," Booth explained.

The bartender nodded. "I see. And the problem is…?"

"I should be buying her a house."

"But she makes more than you do?"

Booth chuckled to himself. "Yeah, a lot more."

"Then let her buy it."

"Really?"

"Do you love her?"

"Of course I love her."

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

"More than you can know."

"And taking care of her makes you happy, right?"

"Right."

"Ever stop to think that taking care of you makes her happy, too? Trust me, son. If you want a good, solid, lasting relationship…don't let money come between you. Life's about more than just money. Let her buy the house and then move on with your lives."

"You're really good at your job," Booth complimented.

"Tell that to the tip jar."

Booth smiled and took out his wallet. He placed a twenty dollar bill in the jar.

"Thanks," he said as he stood up, knowing exactly what he needed to do.

"One more thing," the bartender said.

"Yeah?"

"Before you go home, you might want to sober up."

Booth nodded. "Right." He sat back down and the bartender poured him a glass of water.

"There's actually one more thing," the bartender said.

"What's that?"

"Flowers might help."

"Flowers, huh?"

"A woman always like flowers."

"Good advice."

"You know what women also like?"

"I thought there was only one more thing. That was two things ago," Booth said.

"Hey, you want my advice?" Booth nodded, sipping his water. "They also like diamonds."

Booth raised his eyebrows. "I think my woman would prefer flowers."

The bartender shrugged. "Good luck with that one."

"Thanks."

Booth finished his water and got ready to call a cab.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading and thank you for the great reviews from chapter 1. I know this chapter wasn't too exciting, but there's a lot more to come! Stay tuned!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Saturday

9:28 PM

In the lab, Brennan carefully poured the plaster of paris mixture into molds and began to create the bones. She worked diligently so as to make sure that everything was done right. In her mind, she could see the finished product already. She could see the skeleton of the person she knew so little about.

Brennan began to pour the last of the mold when her phone rang. The phone was just inside her lab coat pocket, but with her hands full of plaster, she couldn't reach it. Annoyed, Brennan snapped off one of the gloves she was wearing and put it on the table she was working on. She knew it was most likely Booth calling to continue their argument from earlier. She still had no idea what they were arguing about, but she figured she mine as well get it over with. Brennan reached for her phone and put it up to her ear without looking to see who it was.

"Brennan," she answered.

"Hey Sweetie," Angela said.

"Oh, hey Ang."

"You sound disappointed. Were you expecting somebody else? Maybe that hunky boyfriend of yours?"

"I wasn't expecting anyone."

"Uh-huh. Well, Hodgins and I were just wondering if you and Booth would like to join us for a drink tonight."

"Thanks, but I don't think that would be such a good idea."

"Oh? Is there trouble in paradise?"

"What? We're not in paradise."

"What I meant was, did you and Booth have a fight?"

"Yes…well, sort of. I guess."

Brennan heard Angela laugh. "Sweetie, if you don't know if it was a fight, it was a definite fight. What happened?"

Brennan leaned the phone against her ear and shoulder so that she could free her hand. She pulled on a clean glove and began finishing the last mold. She needed to get it done so that it could set with the other molds.

"We found a house that we both liked."

"And?"  
Brennan continued her work as she spoke.

"And Booth became angry."  
"He became angry? Just like that?"  
"Well, when we asked our realtor how much the house cost, it was a little above what we agreed upon would be our limit. When I told Booth that I could buy the house for us, he became agitated."  
"Agitated or angry?"  
Brennan thought back, trying to analyze the situation. "Well, he got that crease in his forehead that he gets when he is angry. And I would say that his body temperature did rise slightly and he was definitely standing up straighter, meaning that he was angry about something. So, yes, I do believe he was angry."  
Angela chuckled. "Oh sweetie, Booth is just being a typical guy."  
"I don't understand."  
"Guys don't like it when their girlfriends make more than they do."  
"Well, that doesn't make any sense. Booth has always known that I make more than he does. I'm better educated and have a skill set that is in a higher demand than his," Brennan said as she finished the last mold. She stepped back to admire her handiwork. There were over fifty molds strewn around the lab.  
"I wouldn't mention that to him. Guys also don't like it when you tell them that you're smarter than they are."  
"But I am smarter than him."  
"I know that, sweetie. And, Booth knows that too, but men don't like to hear it."  
"I've told him that many times."

"Yes, but that was before you were his girlfriend."

"I still don't understand why he became so angry," Brennan replied. She took off her gloves and began to clean up around her. "It's obvious that I am more capable of buying the house."  
"Booth wants to provide for you. That's what men like to do."  
"But I don't need him to provide for me."  
"I know, but that doesn't stop him from wanting to do it anyway."  
"So…what do I do?"  
"Tell him you don't want the house."  
"But I do want the house."  
"I know, but you have to think about his feelings. Tell him that you'd be happier with something smaller, something more reasonably priced."  
Brennan began to carefully put the skeletal remains into the storage container they came from. She placed them gently into the airtight container, being sure not to damage them in any way. She picked up the container and walked back into the bone room.

"But I wouldn't be happier with something smaller."  
"Sometimes you have to lie to your man to make him happy." Brennan put the container back into the slot where it came from. "Sweetie? What was that?"  
"What?"  
"That noise. What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Brennan, are you in the bone room?"  
"I…"  
"Brennan," Angela said in a warning tone.  
"I came to the lab to get a few things done."  
"It's Saturday!"  
"So, we've all worked Saturdays before."  
"Yeah, when we've had a case to solve. You're just there to get away from Booth."  
"I had work to do," Brennan insisted, even though she knew it wasn't quite the truth. The work could have waited.  
"Let me give you some advice, sweetie. Go home and call Booth. Tell him you want to keep looking for a house and you understand why he was angry and that you love him and all the things he likes to hear. Then, put on your sexiest lingerie and invite him over and spend the whole night having makeup sex."  
"Angela?"  
"Yeah, sweetie?"  
"I'll see you Monday."  
Brennan hung up and slipped the phone back into her pocket. She walked back to the platform to finish cleaning up. The plaster of paris would have to set for at least twenty-four hours. They plaster bones she created would be good and ready come Monday morning. As she threw away the last of the leftover plaster, she thought about what Angela said. Should she lie to Booth and tell him she wanted a smaller house? Or maybe if they couldn't even compromise on the kind of house they wanted, they just shouldn't move in together at all. Brennan suddenly stopped, with a messy latex glove in her hand. The thought of not moving in with Booth scared her. There was a time when the thought of moving in with any man terrified her, but now the thought of not moving in with him scared her even more. She wanted them to have their own place where they could wake up in each other's arms every morning and fall asleep together every night. She wanted a place that was simply theirs. The thought of losing that made her stomach sink. Brennan knew what she had to do. Just as she threw away the latex glove and was about to walk back to her office to get her things to go home, her phone rang. She took it out of her pocket, looked at who was calling, and smiled.  
"Hi," she said softly as she answered the phone.  
"Hi," he replied.  
Neither of them said anything. After about thirty seconds of silence, Brennan finally spoke.  
"My place?"  
"Be there in ten."  
"Make it twenty."  
"Are you out somewhere, Bones?"  
"Yes."  
"Where?"  
"Where are you?" She asked.  
"I asked you first."  
"I'll see you at my place in twenty," Brennan said.  
She hung up the phone, smiling.  
By the time Brennan pulled into the parking lot of her apartment, she could already see Booth's car. He was sitting in his SUV with his elbow jutting out the window. When he saw her pull in, he rolled up his windows and got out of the car to greet her.  
"Hey," he said as she approached him.  
"Hi."  
He handed her a bouquet of roses from behind his back. She took them and smiled.

"I know they're not you're favorite."

"They're beautiful."

"So are you."

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her. He wanted her to know that everything was going to be ok and that no fight would ever tear them apart.  
"Eww, Bones, you stink!" He exclaimed, taking a step back from her. She simply smiled. "What is that?"  
"Plaster of paris," she answered. She started to head for her apartment building. Booth walked beside her.  
"Why do you smell like plaster of paris?"  
"Because I was making molds."  
"Molds of what?"  
"Of bones."  
She stopped at the front door and, using her key, opened it. They both headed for the elevator.  
"Why were you making molds of bones?"  
Brennan pushed the elevator button. "Number 24798."  
"Is that supposed to mean something to me?"  
"That's the storage number for the bones I've been working on. I'm trying to accurately recreate a skeleton having only one femur and a hand with three fingers."  
"You went to the Jeffersonian?"  
"I find it very soothing to work when something is bothering me."  
The elevator doors opened. Booth allowed Brennan to walk in front of him. He pushed the button for her floor and they waited for the doors to close.  
"Was something bothering you?"  
Brennan looked up at him, trying to tell if he was serious or not. Sometimes she had a difficult time deciphering whether or not he was just teasing her.  
"You were angry," she said. "And I didn't understand why."  
"But now you do?"  
"I spoke to Angela."  
Booth smiled. "I told you she'd understand."  
"If you were angry that you want to be the provider and don't want me to pay for the house, why didn't you just say so?"  
"Because I knew if I said it like that, you would have been angry."  
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. Brennan led the way to her apartment. She stopped outside the door to open it.

"I wouldn't have been angry," she replied, as she put her key in the lock and opened the door.

"Yes you would. You would have told me that I was being an alpha male and needed to just deal with the fact that you're more successful and make more money than me."

They stepped into her apartment.

"But I am more successful and I do make more money than you." Brennan said it before she remembered what Angela had said. She wasn't supposed to tell Booth that she was more successful and wealthy. She was supposed to tell him just the opposite. Brennan closed the door and turned to face Booth. "We don't have to get the house if it means that…"

He grabbed her hips and pressed her back against the door. His mouth was on hers before she even knew what hit her. Completely surprised, it took Brennan several seconds before she began kissing him back.

"If you want the house," Booth said as he nipped at her earlobe. "We can get the house."

"I don't want the house," Brennan panted. As Booth's hands found their way under her shirt, she couldn't even remember what they were talking about. Suddenly, the house was the least important thing she could think of. She dropped the roses Booth had given her. They fell to the floor, completely forgotten.

"Bones…" Booth moaned. He didn't want to talk anymore. He just wanted her. He pulled off her jacket and threw it on the floor.

"I don't want to lose you," she stated.

Booth stopped what he was doing and looked at her. She looked vulnerable and scared. It wasn't a look he was accustomed to.

"You could never lose me," Booth said. He put his hand on her cheek.

"Angela said that men like to be the providers and that I should tell you that I don't want the house, even though I do. I understand what she's saying because anthropologically, she's correct. Most societies are patriarchal. Men are the providers. But, some of the indigenous people of Asia and Africa like the Basques and Minangkabau are more matriarchal and believe that…"

"Bones," Booth interrupted. "As much as I love the history lessons, what's your point?"

"My point is I men don't always have to be the providers, Booth."

"You're right."

"I…" She was about to start arguing again when she realized what he had said. "What?"

"I knew when I fell in love with you, that you weren't the kind of woman who needed to be taken care of. That's one of the things I love about you."

"It is?"

He laughed. "It's frustrating sometimes, but yeah, it is. I guess I just temporarily forgot that. I don't want anything to come between us, Bones."

"Does that mean we're going to get the house?"

"On one condition."

"What's that?"

"I'll let you pay for the house, but that means I get to buy you whatever I want whenever I want and you're not allowed to argue about it."

"But, Booth, as I've told you before, you don't need to buy me things. I am perfectly capable of buying the things I want myself."

"That's my condition. Take it or leave it."

"I'm not sure I like this compromise."

"Isn't that what relationships are all about, Bones? Compromise?"

Brennan sighed. "Fine."

"Remember, no arguing," Booth reminded her.

"Ok."

"Then the house is yours."

"Ours," she corrected.

He nodded. "I like the sound of that."

She stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips. She slid out from between him and the door and took the phone out of her pocket.

"What are you doing?" Booth asked.

"Calling Frank," she answered. She dialed the realtor's number, smiling.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. I have to say, this was a fun chapter to write. I absolutely love writing their dialogue together. Hopefully I didn't disappoint!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

2 Months Later

Sunday

11: PM

Brennan took the knife out of her back pocket and stabbed the cardboard box in front of her. She ran the knife down the strip of tape that was keeping the box safely closed. She put the knife back in her pocket and opened the box. Brennan knew exactly what was in the box; it was yet another box of books. She looked at the bookshelves that a builder had installed earlier that week. She had them custom built to fit the room perfectly. Booth had insisted that he could build them, but Brennan finally got her way and had them built and installed professionally. She wanted to make sure that every detail in the house was as perfect as possible.

As it was, the house was still mostly empty. They had expected to have everything moved in the week earlier, but a case had prevented them from doing much of anything. They had movers bring in most of their belongings the day before. It was only the last few boxes that they were moving in themselves. But, there was still no paint on the walls and absolutely no furniture. The only thing they had picked out was a bed. Other than that, they couldn't seem to agree on anything. Brennan liked modern lines and bold colors. Booth liked things more traditional and muted. Brennan wasn't sure if they would ever agree, but at the very least, she had her office and they did have a bed. Or, at least, they would have a bed. It hadn't been delivered yet.

"How many boxes of books do you have, Bones?" Booth asked as he walked in the room. He dropped the heavy box of books he was holding on the floor next to the one Brennan had just opened.

"Twenty-four," Brennan answered as she took out her knife to open the box.

"Don't you think that's a little excessive?" Booth asked.

"I need books for research, Booth."

"That's what they invented the Internet for."

"Actually, the Internet wasn't invented for research, Booth. It was…"

"Forget I said anything," he said before Brennan could launch into a speech about the history of the Internet. He kneeled down beside one of the boxes and took out one of the books. Brennan immediately yanked it out of his hands and put it back in the box where it came from.

"Don't touch," she commanded.

"So, I'm allowed to carry the heavy box up an entire flight of stairs, but I'm not allowed to touch the books?"

"They're in order."

"In order?"

"Dewey Decimal order. You do know what the Dewey Decimal system is, don't you Booth?" She asked, smiling. She slowly began to approach him, her lips pursed and her eyes sparkling. Booth knew exactly what she was thinking. He had seen that look many times. Only this time, he wasn't about to give in. As she got closer to him and lifted her arm to wrap around his neck, he stepped to the side.

"Uh-uh, Bones. No touching."

She looked at him, confused.

"Is this a new rule of yours, Booth?"

"Maybe?"

"Well, that's too bad."

"Why's that?"

"Because that means the new bed that's being delivered this afternoon won't get much use tonight."

She leaned against him and was about to kiss him when they both heard a crash from down the hallway. Booth's eyes grew wide.

"Parker," he whispered.

Brennan felt a twinge of fear that she had never experienced before run through her. She didn't stop to think about what it meant. Instead, she followed Booth out of the room and towards the sound of the crash. They both knew exactly where it had come from and they ran straight to Parker's room. They found him standing in the middle of his empty room with a can of blue paint splattered over the hardwood floor all around him.

"Parker!" Booth yelled.

Parker turned around. He had blue paint covering his hands and soaking through his t-shirt, shorts, and shoes. He looked at Booth and Brennan with a pout on his face. Relief flooded over Brennan. Parker was safe. Messy, but safe.

"It was an accident," Parker said in a small voice.

Brennan looked at Booth. His jaw was clenched. She could see him trying to control his anger.

"What happened?" Booth asked through gritted teeth.

"I wanted to paint so I…" Parker started to explain.

"I told you we were going to paint later!" Booth exclaimed, somewhere between a yell and a normal voice.

"I know, but you opened the can and said you wanted me to look at the color, so I thought that if I painted the walls, you'd be really proud, so I tried to lift the can, but it was so heavy, that I dropped it and now…" He lifted his hands up as if to show Booth what had happened.

"Now the floor is ruined," Booth yelled.

"The floor can be replaced," Brennan said.

"That's not the point, Bones! I told him not to touch the paint so he shouldn't have been touching the paint!"

"I was just trying to help," Parker replied in a small voice.

"Well, now it's going to take us weeks to get your room finished."

"I'm sorry, dad."

"I'm going to get you a bag. You're going to take off your clothes and they're going in the bag. Then you're out of here."

"Booth?" Brennan questioned, clearly confused. Surely Booth wasn't going to make Parker leave the house over one little mistake.

"I'm going to hose him off outside, Bones. There's no way he's going into the bathroom like that."

"Cool!" Parker exclaimed.

Brennan smiled. "I'll get the bag."

Booth walked over to Parker and helped him take off his shirt without causing more paint damage. As he slipped the shirt over Parker's head, he laughed.

"What's so funny, dad?" Parker asked.

"You look like a smurf," Booth smirked. He crumpled the shirt into a ball, trying his hardest not to get any of the paint on himself.

Parker giggled. "Hey dad?"

"Yeah?"

Parker ran his paint stained hands all over Booth's stomach, leaving behind two blue smears. Booth looked at him in awe.

"Now you look like a smurf," Parker said as he was overcome with fits of laughter.

"Oh, you're going to get it!" Booth yelled as he scooped Parker up in his arms and began to tickle him. Parker laughed and squealed and squirmed in Booth's arms. Booth's foot began to slide on the slick ground. He slid halfway across the room before falling on his behind, cradling Parker so that he landed on top of him. Neither of them ever stopped laughing as they continued to tickle each other on the ground.

"I got the…" Brennan began to say as she reentered the room, holding a plastic bag in her hand. She stopped as soon as she saw the scene in front of her. She was speechless. Both Parker and Booth had paint from head to toe. They didn't seem to care. "What is going on?"

Both boys stopped when they heard Brennan. Parker was sitting on Booth's chest, his hair spiked blue.

"Uh-oh," Parker said.

"Booth?" Brennan said, searching for an explanation.

"He started it," Booth stated.

"Did not!" Parker replied.

"Did too!" Booth exclaimed.

"Did not!"

"You're the one who said I looked like a smurf!"

Brennan couldn't believe what she was hearing. Booth was actually bickering with his son about who started their little fight. She couldn't believe how an intelligent grown man could turn into a blubbering little boy in just seconds.

"You did look like a smurf," Booth explained.

"See! You did start it!"

"You two are a mess!" Brennan exclaimed.

Both Booth and Parker looked over at Brennan and then back at each other.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Booth asked his son.

"Oh yeah," Parker answered.

"What?" Brennan asked, not understanding what they were talking about. Booth lifted Parker off of him and planted him on his feet. With a little bit of sliding, Booth stood up next to Parker. "Booth?"

"You like the smurfs, right, Bones?" Booth asked.

"Yes. Smurfette was always my favorite."

"Right, smurfette." Booth smiled and looked over at Parker. Parker nodded. "Well, prepare to be smurfed."

"I don't know what that means," Brennan said.

"Now!" Booth yelled.

Both Parker and Booth ran towards her. Brennan shrieked as they both wrapped their arms around her, covering her in paint.

"Booth!" Brennan screamed, trying to get out of his bear hug. "Stop! You're getting me covered in paint!"

"That's the plan, Bones," Booth said, laughing.

Parker began to tickle her and, as much as she tried, Brennan couldn't help but laugh. Within seconds, all three of them were sprawled out on the floor. They rolled around together on the floor, laughing harder than they had laughed before. Out of breath, but with smiles on their faces, Parker was lying in between Booth and Brennan right in the middle of the spilled paint.

"This is a mess," Brennan finally said.

"Welcome to living with boys, Bones," Booth responded.

"You do realize that now this is the only room with paint, right?" Brennan asked.

"Can I keep it this way, dad?" Parked begged.

"Paint belongs on the walls, bud," Booth stated.

"Oh man."

The doorbell rang. Booth grunted. "That must be the bed," Brennan guessed.

"I'll get it," Booth offered.

"You're covered in paint," Brennan pointed out.

"Do you want the bed?"

"Of course I want the bed."

"Well, if I don't answer the door right now, they'll take the bed away and then we'll have to wait another week for them to deliver it. So, I'm going to answer the door."

Booth got to his feet.

"Booth, shoes."

Booth looked down at his shoes that had turned from black to blue. He took them off and then carefully walked to the doorway, being sure not to step in any more paint. They didn't need blue footsteps throughout the entire house.

"Shirt," Brennan stated.

"I'm not going to get paint everywhere, Bones," Booth insisted.

"Shirt. Now."

"I would listen to her, dad. You don't ever want to make a woman mad."

Booth smiled. "I taught him well." He lifted his shirt over his head and threw it on the ground next to his shoes. He knew there was no reason to try to salvage the shirt. "Where did my box of clothes go?"

"I think it got brought up to the bedroom," Brennan answered.

"Thanks."

Booth walked out of the room, leaving Parker and Brennan alone.

"Can we get hosed down now, Dr. Bones?" Parker asked.

Brennan smiled. "Sure. But first, socks in the bag."

They booth stood and Parker stripped himself of his socks. Brennan held the bag open as Parker dumped his socks inside. Brennan took off her own shoes and threw them in the bag as well. She dropped the bag onto the floor and gestured for Parker to leave the room.

"Shirt," Parker said.

"Excuse me?"

"You said shirts had to go before we made a mess of the rest of the house."

"I think I'll keep my shirt, thank you, Parker."

"I'll close my eyes. Promise I won't peek."

"You're quite a gentleman, Parker. But I think I'll take my chances with making a mess. I'll be very careful."

"Whatever you say, Dr. Bones."

Brennan took Parker's hand and they walked out of the room. They made their way downstairs and to the back door. Brennan could hear Booth talking to the movers, telling them where to bring the mattress and bed frame.

As soon as they were in the backyard, Brennan found the house that the previous owners had thankfully left behind. She couldn't remember the last time she had used a hose. She certainly wasn't a gardener and really she had no need for a hose in her apartment. Brennan turned the nozzle and water began to spurt out the end of the hose. She tested to make sure it was an ok temperature before she glanced over at Parker. He was running around the backyard, pretending to be an airplane.

"Ready, Parker?" She called out.

Parker kept running in large circles. "You'll have to catch me first!" He yelled.

With the hose in her hand, Brennan ran after him. She pointed the hose in his direction and just missed him. After chasing him around and even missing him a few times on purpose, Brennan finally squirted him with the hose. He squealed with delight.

That's how Booth found them several minutes later. Brennan was chasing Parker around with the hose. They were both still covered in paint and were soaked. They were also both laughing hysterically. Booth hung back, simply watching them. Seeing the love of his life and his son in such a happy moment brought tears to his eyes.

As Brennan rounded the corner, she saw him and smiled. Booth smiled back. She dropped the house and Parker collapsed onto the grass, happily rolling around on the mushy ground. Brennan walked up to Booth. He immediately wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the top of the head.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" He asked.

"Once or twice."

"Well, here's one more time. I love you."

"I love you, too."

He kissed her lightly on the lips.

"You two don't look too clean," he observed.

"Well, what are we going to do about that?"

"There's a shower up there waiting to be christened," he said quietly.

"Parker is right over there," Brennan reminded him.

"He can't hear us."

Booth kissed her again, this time more deeply.

"Eww! Gross!" Parker yelled.

"He might not be able to hear us, but he can see us," Brennan stated.

Booth rolled his eyes. "Get used to it! He shouted back. He leaned down and gave Brennan a big, sloppy kiss.

"Ewwwww!" Parker exclaimed.

"I'll give you eww!"

Booth ran across the yard, picked up the hose from where Brennan had dropped it, and began to chase after his son.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading. This chapter was a lot of fun. I like writing the fun side of Booth and Brennan. As for Brennan and her books, I just had to add that in there because I have 56 boxes of books all in Dewey Decimal order. I can't help but put a little piece of me in her character. Please don't forget to review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Sunday

5:49 PM

As Booth walked down the hallway, he stretched out his aching back. He had lost count of how many boxes he had lugged into the house hours before. He rolled his head slowly around so to relieve some of the tension from his neck. He made a silent promise to himself that he would never move again. It just took too much effort.

Although he was heading for the bedroom, Booth stopped in front of the only empty room left in the house. It was empty because they hadn't talked about what it would be used for. Booth had his own ideas of what he wanted to put in the room, but that was a subject that he and Brennan hadn't really discussed before. It had come up once, but was never mentioned again after that.

"What are you looking at?" Brennan asked as she came up behind him.

"Nothing," Booth answered. He hadn't realized that he was standing in the doorway simply staring at the empty room.

Brennan wrapped her arms around him from behind and pressed the side of her face against his back. She sighed out of exhaustion and contentment.

"Mmm…you smell good," Booth commented.

"I smell like you."

"That's definitely a good smell."

"Your bath products were the only ones I could find. Mine are still packed away somewhere. And I just had to get that paint off."

"You should smell like me everyday," he said.

"I'll keep that in mind." She glanced at the side of his face and began to laugh.

"What?"

"You still have paint in your ear."

"Yeah well the hose shower I had earlier wasn't ideal."

"You could have taken a shower."

Booth shrugged. "It was more fun chasing Parker around. Besides, you can help me find all the paint I missed later."

"You have a dirty mind, Agent Booth."

"Who? Me? You're the one who's always bringing up sex."

"And yet you're the one who has already mentioned sex twice today."

"What? When?"

"When you were talking about the bed being delivered. And just now, talking about the shower."

"I never once mentioned sex. You're the one with dirty mind, Bones. I was simply talking about sleeping in our new bed and you pointing out all of the paint spots still on me. I never said I had to be naked to do it. Nor did I say we had to be in the shower." Brennan playfully squeezed him. "Although, I am a little disappointed that your first shower was without me, Bones. I thought we could sort of, you know…christen it together."

"There are two other bathrooms, Booth. I'm sure that could be arranged."

He turned, put his hands on her hips, and kissed her.

"We still have one problem," Brennan said.

"What's that?"

"What are we going to do with this room?" Brennan questioned.

Booth let go of her and turned back to look into the empty room. It was a small room, only about twelve square feet, but it would be perfect for what he had in mind. Booth had been wondering how to bring up the topic that he so desperately wanted to discuss. He figured there was no time like the present.

"Well, Bones, I was thinking that…"

"I think we should use it as a baby room," Brennan interrupted. Booth smiled. "What? Why are you smiling?"

"Because you never cease to surprise me, Bones."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes, that's a very good thing."

"I know we haven't really talked about having a baby in a while, Booth, but I would very much like to have one. It would be a waste of my intelligence to not create an offspring."

Booth couldn't help but laugh again. "Most people just want a baby to have a baby, Bones."

"I am not most people, Booth."

"No, you're not."

"I would like some time, though, before we procreate."

Booth coughed when he heard the word procreate. No matter how much time he spent with Brennan, he still wasn't used to her terminology for some things.

"Some time?" He asked.

"Yes. I don't think I would like a baby right away."

"I agree."

"You do?" She asked, surprised.

He put his arms around her, pulling her close.

"I want you all to myself for a little while."

"There's no way a person could possess another person all for him or herself. I still do have to work, Booth, and interact with many other people besides you."

"I know that, Bones. I want us to just be us. For so long we were Booth and Bones, partners in solving crime. I want us to be Booth and Bones, an incredibly happy, sexy couple." He nuzzled her neck.

"I can agree with that."

"Good. We'll have plenty of time for babies, Bones."

"Babies? I only said baby."

"We can talk about that later."

"I think we should talk about that now. According to this book I read on happy couples, two of the most common things that come between couples are finances and the desire for children. We already know that we're incompatible financially. I think we should know whether or not we're compatible in our desire to have children."

"You read too much."

"Booth," Brennan said sternly.

"Alright, look. We're not incompatible financially, Bones."

"But you resent the fact that I make more than you do."

"I don't resent it. And could we stop bringing that up? I know you make more than I do, Bones. I know that you'll always make more than I do. That doesn't mean we're not compatible. And, as far as children goes, I'm happy just to finally be with you. I am ecstatic that you want to have a baby, Bones. And if one is all you want, then I'm fine with that."

"You are?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Bones, I'm sure."

"I don't want you to be unhappy because we can't come to an agreement."

"I'm not unhappy." He kissed her right cheek. "I'm very happy." He kissed her left cheek. "I'm very, ecstatically happy." His lips caught hers. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and completely forgot about babies and finances. They both kept kissing even as the doorbell rang.

"Pizza's here!" Parker yelled from the living room downstairs.

Brennan went to step away from Booth, but he held her tightly and wouldn't stop kissing her. She didn't try to stop him. He was the only person she had ever felt such passion for. Sure there had been other lovers who were skilled and could make her weak at the knees, but the feeling had always passed. There had never been anyone who could make her body tingle and her heart skip a beat just by smiling at her. And when he kissed her, when he kissed her, her body felt electrified.

"You two better not be kissing up there!" Parker shouted. "I'm starving!"

Booth caught one last kiss before finally letting Brennan pull away.

"Your son is starving, Booth," she said with a slight blush in her cheeks as if they were teenagers and had just gotten caught by their parents.

"Do we have to feed him?" He joked.

She smiled and took his hand. "Come on." She tugged on his hand and he followed her down the hall and down the stairs. They found Parker sitting in the middle of the living room floor. He was surrounded by boxes, but they had kept a small area in the middle of the floor clear. Parker had spread out a blanket on the floor and two pizza boxes were stacked on top of the blanket.

"You were kissing, weren't you?" Parker accused.

"Yup," Booth answered proudly. He sat down cross legged on the floor next to Parker.

"That's gross."

"Trust me, son, you won't think it's so gross in a few years."

"Yes, I will. Not that you're not pretty, Dr. Bones. You are very pretty, but yuck!"

Brennan laughed. "Thank you, Parker."

"Come on, Bones," Booth said. "Pull up a seat."

"We should have bought a table and chairs, Booth," Brennan said.

"Who needs a table and chairs when you can have a picnic right in the middle of your living room?" Booth replied.

Brennan shook her head. "I'll get us some drinks." She walked into the kitchen and found the box marked glasses. Thankfully, it was a box from Booth's apartment and had some plastic cups in it. She pulled out two glasses and a plastic cup and filled all three of them with water. By the time she made it back to the living room, Booth and Parker had already consumed a piece of pizza each.

"Save some for me," Brennan said. She handed one of the glasses to Booth and the plastic cup to Parker before taking a seat between them.

"So," Parker said with his mouthful of pizza. "What color is this room going to be?"

"Parker, don't talk with your mouth full," Booth instructed.

"I think it should be green," Parker stated once he had swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Green would be a very nice color," Brennan commented.

"How about lime green?" Parker suggested.

"I think lime green is a little too loud, Parker," Booth replied.

"Loud? How can a paint color be loud?" Parker asked.

"Yes, Booth, how can a color be loud? Colors don't make any sound at all," Brennan said.

"It means it's very bold," Booth explained. He often forgot just how many expressions Brennan had never heard before. She was so incredibly literal sometimes that he found himself explaining more things to her than he had to explain to Parker.

"A darker green might be an acceptable color," Brennan stated.

"Well, we can take a look at some greens next weekend."

"What's next weekend?" Parker wondered.

"Bones and I are going to go to a paint store and look at some different colors. Remember your room is the only one we picked the color for."

"That's because I picked it out myself," Parker said proudly. "Although I think we're going to have to get more paint, dad."

"I think you're right," Booth agreed.

"Are you going together to pick out colors?" Parker asked.

"Yes. Why?" Booth said.

"Because you two can't agree on anything," Parker replied.

"We agree on things," Booth said.

"Actually, he's right, Booth. We don't agree on many things," Brennan argued.

"We agree on the important things," Booth said definitely. He looked at Brennan and winked.

"Can I go with you?" Parker asked.

"Where?" Booth wondered.

"To pick out paint colors. I'm sure I can be a big help."

"I'm sure you would be, buddy, but you'll be with your mom next weekend."

"Oh, come on. She won't be doing anything fun like rolling around in paint."

"There won't be any more rolling around in paint," Booth stated. "We're just going to be looking at some colors."

"Still, I want to go," Parker whined.

"Don't whine, Parker," Booth commanded.

"Pleeeeeease."

"I already said no," Booth said.

"You know what, Parker, you wouldn't want to go anyway," Brennan said.

"Yes I do," Parker replied.

"No you don't. Picking out paint is very boring. It's a lot of standing around in the store and waiting. Then you have to look at these little squares of paint. Then, after waiting for a very long time, you have to bring the squares of paint home and you hold the square of paint against the wall and try to decide if it looks good. But sometimes it takes a long time to decide so you spend a lot of time standing around and waiting and waiting and more waiting. It's no fun at all."

"Eww, that doesn't sound like fun," Parker said.

"So you're better of staying at your mom's," Brennan concluded.

"She's right, dad. Why didn't you just tell me how boring it was in the first place?"

Booth smiled at Brennan. He couldn't believe what a natural parent she was.

"Sorry, buddy. I guess I forgot how boring it is. Now finish your pizza. Your mom will be here any minute to pick you up."

"Can't I stay here tonight?" Parker asked.

"Parker, you don't even have a bed," Booth pointed out.

"You guys have a bed. I could just sleep between you."

Brennan nearly choked on the piece of pizza she had in her mouth. Booth could see the panic in her eyes. Even though it wouldn't have been the first time Parker had crawled between them in bed, he knew Brennan had something else in mind on their first night with their new bed in their new house.

"You have school tomorrow," Booth said.

"So? You could drive me to school in the morning," Parker argued.

"Your mom is expecting you. She's probably already on her way."

"What your father is trying to say, Parker, is that he and I were planning on having…"

Booth clamped his hand over Brennan's mouth. Parker looked at him strangely.

"What did you do that for, dad?"

Booth couldn't have been more relieved when he heard the doorbell ring. He took his hand away from Brennan and stood up.

"That must be your mother. Go get your things, Parker."

"But daaaad," he whined.

"Parker!"

"Fine." Huffing, Parker took one more piece of pizza and bit off a large piece. He ran off into the other room to find his backpack. Booth began walking to the door. He put his hand on the door knob, but didn't turn it. Instead he looked back at Brennan.

"Bones, you cannot talk to my son about our sex lives," he said in a harsh whisper.

"I was simply telling him the truth, Booth."

Booth rolled his eyes. "We'll talk about this later." He opened the door. Rebecca was standing on the doorstep. "Hey Rebecca."

"Hi Seeley."

"Come on in," he said as he stepped aside. "Parker's just getting his things."

Rebecca took a few steps in and Booth closed the door.

"Hello Dr. Brennan," Rebecca said.

"Nice to see you again, Rebecca," Brennan replied. Although she had only met Rebecca on a few brief occasions, Brennan tried to be as pleasant as she could to her. She knew it was important for Booth to have a good relationship with the mother of his child. And, if it was important to Booth, it was important to her too.

"Want some pizza?" Booth asked.

"No, thank you." Rebecca looked around. "This house is great."

"We still have a lot of work to do," Booth replied.

"Still, it's a beautiful place. I hope you two are very happy here," Rebecca said sincerely.

Parker came running into the room with his backpack on his back. He ran into Rebecca's open arms and gave her a big hug.

"Hey honey," Rebecca said, ruffling his hair.

"Hi mom."

"You ready?"

"Yup."

Booth knelt down and Parker gave him a hug.

"See you soon," Booth said.

"Will my room be ready next time I come, dad?"

Booth nodded. "You bet."

He gave Parker one last, long hug.

"Come on," Rebecca said, holding out her hand.

"I gotta give Dr. Bones a hug. After all, she is part of the family. Well…sort of. It's not like you guys are married or something." Parker's eyes lit up. "Wait a minute! Why don't you two get married so Dr. Bones can really be part of the family?"

"Ah…we're not really…" Booth began.

"People are supposed to get married first and then buy a house. You two should go get married!"

"Parker…" Booth said.

"Don't you want to marry Dr. Bones?"

Booth didn't know how to answer. How could he explain to his child that he wanted to marry her, but that she didn't want to marry him even though they loved each other?

"Parker," Brennan finally said, "there's more than one kind of family. Marriage is…"

"Bones," Booth interrupted. "I don't think we need to share our views on marriage with Parker right now." He did not want Parker hearing Brennan's speech about how marriage was an antiquated ritual. Even though Parker probably would have no clue what she was talking about, he didn't want him thinking that marriage wasn't important.

"Come on, Parker. We need to get home," Rebecca said.

Parker quickly ran over to Brennan and gave her a hug before returning to his mother. She took him by the hand.

"Parker, is that blue paint on your arm?" Rebecca asked.

"It's a long story," Booth said.

"I'm sure," Rebecca replied, smiling.

"Bye, bud," Booth said, giving Parker one more hug.

"Bye dad."

Booth opened the door and Parker and Rebecca walked outside. Booth stood in the doorway watching them until Rebecca drove away. He turned back into the house and closed the door. Brennan was picking up the remnants of their dinner on the living room. She began walking into the kitchen. Booth picked up the two pizza boxes and followed her.

"I got it," Brennan said as Booth began to take out some aluminum foil to wrap the extra pieces of pizza in.

"I can do it," Booth replied.

"I said I got it." Brennan snatched the roll of aluminum foil from him and began to wrap the pieces herself.

"Are you mad at me?" She didn't answer. "Bones?"

"You obviously don't want me around your son."

"What?" Brennan put the wrapped pieces into the refrigerator and stormed back into the living room to finish cleaning up. Booth put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off. "Bones…"

"You won't let me tell your son the truth, Booth."

"Sometimes you can't tell children the whole truth, Bones. He doesn't need to know about our sex life. Nor does he need to know your opinion on marriage."

"So, my opinion doesn't matter?"

"Of course it matters." He paused and took a deep breath before he continued. He did not want to have a full blown argument. "I know you don't believe in marriage and I've accepted that, Bones. I don't agree with you, but I accept it because I'm just happy to be with you. But Parker doesn't need to know that we're not getting married. Not right now." He took a step towards her. She didn't step back. She wasn't exactly looking at him, but at least she didn't move away from him. "And I do want you around my son because you are an amazing mom."

She finally looked up at him. "Really?"

"Really."

"I'm sorry I got angry."

"This wasn't our first fight, Bones, and it's not going to be our last. But just remember that I love you."

"I love you, too."

"We can finish cleaning tomorrow. There's a new bed upstairs calling our names."

"How can a bed…"

"Come on, Bones," he said. He took her hand and started walking towards the stairs.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"I wasn't going to tell Parker that I didn't believe in marriage or that marriage is an antiquated ritual." Booth stopped walking. "I was going to tell him marriage is a very special bond between two people who love each other very much."

Booth pulled her towards him and kissed her.

Author's Note: I know I've said it before, but this was another chapter that I had a lot of fun with. Oh, and just so you know, this story will be about 42 chapters long so hopefully you're prepared to keep reading for a while. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Monday

5:36 AM

Brennan opened her eyes slowly. She was still tired, but she couldn't help but wake up early anyway. She glanced over at the clock. Although she wasn't surprised that it was so early, she didn't want to accept that it was so early. Even though they she and Booth had technically gotten in their bed before eight PM, she had actually received less than two hours of asleep. They were too busy making good use of their new bed to sleep. Brennan smiled as she linked her fingers through Booth's. She was spooned in his arms, her back against his chest. His arm was wrapped around her waist.

Sighing, Brennan knew she should get up. She wanted to get to the lab to work on her unidentified remains. It had been months since she had recreated the missing bones of case number 24798 out of plaster of paris and she wasn't much closer to finding out the identity of the remains. She was determined, though, to solve the mystery no matter how long it took.

Brennan slid out from underneath Booth's arm. He stirred, but didn't wake. She grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and pulled it over her head. She began to walk out of the room, but stopped to look back at Booth. He was sleeping peacefully. Brennan smiled and walked out of the room. She made her way downstairs and, after looking through at least half a dozen boxes, found the coffee pot. It took her another ten minutes to find the actual coffee and coffee filters.

When she finally had the coffee brewing, Brennan walked outside to get some fresh air. She took a moment to look around. The neighborhood was a desirable one. The houses were all well kept with well-manicured lawns. She hadn't really met any of their new neighbors, but Booth had met the couple across the street and said they were friendly. He also happened to mention that they were newlyweds. Brennan looked at the house and thought about marriage. She had to admit that the thought of marriage always appalled her. She had never believed in it and could never understand why so many people were willing to walk down the aisle when human beings weren't meant to be monogamous. But, when Parker asked them why she and Booth weren't married, she didn't have the same gut reaction as she usually did. She wasn't appalled. She wasn't thinking about all the failed marriages in the world. She didn't want to tell Parker that marriage was unnecessary. For the first time in her entire life, Brennan actually could see herself being happily married. And the person she could see herself happily married to was Booth.

Shaking her head, Brennan went back into the house. She wondered how in such a short time she could have turned into a woman she barely recognized. Still, the thought of being with Booth as she grew old and grey made her smile.

7:00 AM

Booth's alarm went off for a full thirty seconds before he actually rolled over and turned it off. He didn't open his eyes. He was exhausted. As the memories of what he and Brennan shared throughout the night came flooding back to him, Booth couldn't help but smile. He went to pull her closer to him, but he didn't feel her. Booth moaned. He did not like waking up without her, yet it happened often. Booth opened his eyes and looked over at where Brennan should have been laying. He saw a small piece of paper on her pillow. Booth picked it up and immediately recognized her handwriting. He had to blink several times before his eyes could focus enough to actually read the note.

'Off to the Jeffersonian. See you at lunch? Love, Bones.'

He wasn't sure what excited him more. The fact that she actually left him a note, something she never did, or the fact that she wrote the word 'love.' Of course Booth had heard Brennan say that she loved him many times, it was a whole different feeling seeing it in print. It made it even more official.

Booth put the note back on Brennan's pillow and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He knew he had to get to work. He had a mountain of paperwork to do from the case they had worked on the week before. He hated paperwork, but it had to be done.

Knowing that the sooner he got to work, the sooner he would get everything done, Booth quickly hopped in the shower, changed into the least wrinkled suit he could find, grabbed some of the coffee that Brennan had left for him, found his keys on the sink in the bathroom, and headed out the door. As he pushed the unlock button on his car beeper, he looked out at the house across the street from him. His neighbor, whose name he learned was Tim, was walking to his car dressed in a suit very similar to Booth's.

"Good morning," Booth called out.

Tim waved at him. "Morning, new neighbor," he said.

Both men walked to the edge of their lawns so they could talk more easily.

"Hope we didn't bother you with all the moving we did this weekend," Booth said because it felt like the neighborly thing to say.

"Not at all. I saw a little boy around. I didn't know you two had children."

"We don't. Well, I do. He's my son, Parker. He lives with his mother most of the time."

"Ah. He's a cute kid."

"Yeah, thanks."

"So, how are you and your wife settling in?"

"We've got a lot to do, but things are good so far," Booth answered. He noticed that Tim had called Brennan his wife, but he didn't say anything about it.

"That's great. It's a nice neighborhood. I think you'll like it here." The front door to Tim's house opened. Booth saw his wife standing in the doorway. She was holding a travel mug in her hands.

"Sweetie, you forgot your coffee!" She shouted.

"Thanks, Hailey. Hailey, you remember Seeley, right?"

"Of course. Nice to see you again, Seeley."

"You too," Booth called out.

Tim walked up to his wife. He kissed her on the cheek and took the coffee from her. It was a simple gesture, but it was incredibly domestic. Booth wondered if anyone would ever look at him and Brennan and think they were domestic.

"Well, I gotta get to work," Tim said as he walked back down his front walk.

"Yeah, me too," Booth replied.

"Let us know if you need anything. And hey, once you're settled in, we should get together for a drink."

"Sounds good," Booth said. "See you around."

They both walked to their cars. Booth saw Hailey standing in the doorway, waving to her husband. Booth climbed in his car and realized that he never bothered to correct Tim when he called Brennan his wife. He didn't need to wonder why. He knew that he didn't correct Tim because he wished it were true. It never felt more obtainable than that moment. Although he hadn't had time to really think about it because they were too busy being absorbed in each other, Booth realized that Brennan had said something positive about marriage. It made him think that maybe she wasn't as against it as she claimed to be.

With a smile on his face, Booth knew that there was one place he needed to go before he got to work.

8:37 AM

Booth got off the elevator and walked straight to Sweet's office. He didn't bother to knock on the closed door. Instead, he just opened the door and strode into the room. Sweets was sitting at his computer with his back to the door.

"How many times do I have to ask you to knock, Agent Booth?" Sweets asked. He swiveled around in his chair.

"Why? It's not like you're doing anything in here," Booth answered. He closed the door behind him and walked over to Sweet's couch. He sat down.

"Actually, I'm working on my book."

"Oh yeah? The one about Bones and I?"

"Yes."

"Can I read it?" Booth asked. He stood up and walked up behind Sweets, trying to read the screen. Sweets immediately took the page off the screen.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you and Dr. Brennan can read it when it's done."

"What's up with you writers and your secrecy?" Booth wondered, sauntering back over to the couch.

"I'm assuming you're talking about a novel Dr. Brennan is working on. Do you feel angry that she doesn't share her work with you?"

"No."

"Is this a problem in your relationship?"

"No, Sweets, it's not a problem."

"But obviously it has bothered you enough to bring it up."

"I didn't bring it up."

"Yes, you did." Sweets moved from his desk chair to the chair across from the couch. He picked up a pad of paper and pen before he sat. Somehow he knew that whatever Booth had come to talk to him about would be interesting for his book. "You know, Agent Booth, it's normal for couples who have gone from being friends to being involved to argue over things that they didn't argue about before. As matter of fact…"

"I didn't come here to be analyzed, Sweets."

"Then why did you come here…without an appointment, I might add."

Booth took a deep breath. As much as he made fun of Sweets, he knew that he was the best person to turn to. Sweets had a strange way of understanding Booth and Brennan in a way that no one else did.

"You've heard Bones talk about marriage, right?"

Sweets nodded. "Dr. Brennan doesn't believe in traditional marriage. She believes it's unnecessary in today's society."

"Right."

"Did you ask her to marry you and she turned you down?"

"No."

"Would you like to marry her?"

"Of course I want to marry her, Sweets."

"But, she doesn't want to get married?"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't know."

Sweets rubbed his face. He knew he should have been used to trying to get Booth to really talk and reveal his emotions, but it didn't make it any easier.

"Obviously something makes you think that Dr. Brennan has changed her mind on the idea of marriage. What makes you think that?"

"Last night we were having dinner with Parker. He asked us why we weren't married."

"What did you say?"

"Bones was about to say something to him, but I interrupted her."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I was afraid that she would tell him her views on marriage. I don't want my son growing up thinking that marriage is unimportant so I didn't let her talk. Later she told me that she wasn't going to say that at all. She was going to say that marriage was a very special bond between two people who love each other." He quoted her exactly, the thought of Brennan saying that making him smile.

"So, you think she's changed her mind?"

"Do you?"

"Well, when speaking to children, we often sugar coat things, Agent Booth. It's possible that Dr. Brennan was just saying something she thought Parker should here, rather than expressing her true feelings."

"That's true, but seconds before Brennan was about to spill secrets of our sex life to Parker so I don't think she's very good at sugar coating things."

Sweets' eyes widened. "Well, then it's possible that she was being sincere when talking to Parker."

"Yeah, but do you think that means that she's open to the idea of marriage?"

"That's something you'd have to ask Dr. Brennan."

Booth stood up. "Thanks for the help," Booth said sarcastically.

"Woah, wait a minute." Booth turned around, thinking that maybe he had been mistaken. Maybe Sweets couldn't help him. "Dr. Brennan has been through a lot over the past year. She's changed as a result of that. She's more open with her feelings and more willing to accept emotional attachments with others. It's very possible that her opinions towards marriage have changed as well."

Booth nodded. "What if I'm wrong?"

"Well, you've already been turned down by one woman. I think you could handle another."

Booth glared at Sweets. He did not need to be reminded that when he asked Rebecca to marry him, she said no. Of course, he only asked her because he thought it was the right thing to do and not because she was the love of his life.

"That was a low blow, Sweets."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Asking Bones to marry me isn't like Rebecca. And no, I don't think I would be able to handle if Bones said no."

Sweets nodded. "You're afraid to ask Dr. Brennan if she'll marry you because you're afraid of rejection. That's understandable. But are you willing to go the rest of your life without asking her?" Booth thought about it. He knew the answer was no. "Do you want my advice, Agent Booth?"

"Well, considering I didn't just come here to talk about the weather, yeah, I'd like your advice."

"Talk to Angela. She might be getting vibes from Dr. Brennan."

"Vibes? Is that a psychological term, Sweets?"

"Actually there are studies that show that women who are friends are very good at interpreting their moods and…"

"Now you sound like Bones."

There was a knock on the door.

"That would be my nine o'clock," Sweets said as he headed for the door.

"You mean you actually have other patients?" Booth joked.

"Goodbye, Agent Booth." Sweets opened the door. "And good luck."

Author's Note: So, I know this episode wasn't too exciting, but I really wanted to showcase Brennan and Booth being "domestic." I hope you liked it. Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

1:24 PM

Brennan was sitting at her computer, typing up her analysis on the fatal knife wound from the latest case when she saw Booth walking into the lab. She glanced at the clock and realized it was after one. He was there for lunch. She hadn't realized how much time had gone by since she had started the report hours earlier. She had wanted to get to the Jeffersonian early to work on her unidentified skeletal remains, but upon arriving, Cam reminded her that the report had to get done.

Brennan saved the report she was working on and stood up. She expected Booth to walk into her office to get her for lunch, but instead he headed the other way. He didn't even glance over at her. Through the window, Brennan watched him as he walked towards Angela's office. She wondered why he was going to Angela's office considering they didn't have a case they were working on. Had Booth mentioned that he needed to talk to Angela? Had he forgotten about lunch? Confused, Brennan walked out of the office and was halfway to Angela's office when Cam ran into her.

"Dr. Brennan, have you finished that report yet?" Brennan looked over Cam's shoulder and could see Booth sitting next to Angela on the couch in her office. They were both laughing. "Dr. Brennan?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. I mean, no."

"Is it yes or no?"

"No, I haven't finished it yet. Yes, it will be done by the end of today."

"Make sure I have a copy on my desk. The lawyer in this case is really breathing down my neck on this one."

"It'll be there."

"Thanks." Cam could sense how distracted she was. "Is something wrong?"

Brennan saw Angela throw her head back in laughter and put her hand on Booth's arm. Whatever he had said, it must have been very funny.

"What?

"Are you alright? You look distracted."

Angela was still laughing. Brennan's eyes narrowed.

"I'm fine," Brennan answered.

She turned around and marched back into her office. She felt somewhat angry. She couldn't understand why she suddenly felt angry, but she knew her blood pressure had risen and her skin had grown warm. It was a biological response to something that she couldn't pinpoint. The only thing she knew was that if Booth preferred to talk to Angela than to her, then she preferred to work than talk to him.

Brennan set right to work again, working on her report. She examined what she had last written, reading it over again to make sure it made sense. She knew it was important to write reports that were both scientific and understandable by a person of average intelligence. Brennan started typing the next paragraph. She wrote out the first sentence, but then erased it. It just didn't sound right. She typed it again and immediately erased it. She couldn't concentrate. All she could see in her mind was Angela laughing and her hand on Booth's arm. She knew it meant nothing. She and Angela were best friends and Booth and Angela were close as well. They were probably just talking. But, even though she knew it meant nothing, she was still angry. Brennan knew that the only thing that would get her mind off of what she had just seen was to work with bones. The report would just have to wait.

Brennan left her computer and headed for the bone room. She purposely didn't look in the direction of Angela's office as she went. She didn't want to know what was going on. As she entered the room, which was lined with shelves of storage units containing bones, she knew exactly what she was going to work on. She went right over to the bin labeled 24798 and pulled it down. She began carrying the container to the platform.

"Working on something, Dr. B?" Hodgins asked as he fell into step with her.

"Yes," Brennan answered simply.

"Is that the John Doe you've been working on these last few weeks?"

Brennan continued to walk. She slid her badge through the security system and walked onto the platform. She placed the box down on the metal table.

"Want some help? You know, maybe I can analyze some particulates for you."

"No thank you, Dr. Hodgins."

"Oh, come on, Dr. B, I need something to do besides paperwork."

"Paperwork is part of our job, Dr. Hodgins."

"Yeah, but…"

"Dr. Hodgins," Brennan interrupted. "I'd like to work alone please."

Hodgins heard Angela's laughter. He turned towards the sound and saw her walking out of her office with a big smile on her face. Booth was walking beside her. Hodgins smiled. He knew why Brennan was so interested in working alone. She was jealous. Of course, Hodgins knew her jealousy was unfounded. He knew that Booth only had eyes for Brennan and Angela only had eyes for him, but that didn't stop Brennan from being jealous. He had to stifle a laugh. The thought of Booth and Angela together was ludicrous.

"I'll get back to my paperwork," Hodgins said, shaking his head. He walked off the platform and he walked by Angela and Booth.

"You two having a good time?" Hodgins asked.

"Booth was just telling me about the paint mishap that occurred over the weekend."

"Uh-huh. You forget about someone, Booth?"

Booth looked at him quizzically. "What?"

Hodgins pointed to Brennan who was standing over the pile of bones, both real and made of plaster that she had laid out on the table. She had already put the skeleton together so that it looked like a complete human body. She had a magnifying tool in her hand and was staring at one of the real bones intensely.

"When she's working like that," Hodgins said. "You know something's wrong."

Booth nodded. "Thanks for the heads up. And thanks Angela for your help."

"Any time," Angela replied.

Booth started walking towards the platform, leaving Hodgins and Angela alone.

"What was that all about?" Hodgins asked.

"Booth wanted to know if he should propose to Brennan."

"Really? What did you tell him?"

"I told him to go for it, but that if he did propose, he better be sure that she's going to say yes."

"Good answer. So, you think they'll really do it? Get hitched, I mean?"

"We can only hope."

"You're already planning the wedding in your head, aren't you?"

She smiled. "Yup."

Angela and Hodgins walked hand in hand back into her office, giving Booth and Brennan their privacy; at leaset as much privacy as they could have on the platform with other Jeffersonian employees walking around the building. Booth made his way to the platform. He started up the steps and looked at Brennan. She was bent over the skeleton, literally squinting at it. Seeing her like that made him chuckle to himself. Booth was about to step onto the platform when he remembered to swipe his card. He did so quickly and then walked slowly over to Brennan. He knew she knew he was there, but she didn't acknowledge him.

"Hey," he said. She ignored him. He took a few steps so that he was right beside her, but she stepped away to the other side of the table. She never stopped looking through her magnifying glass. "Ready for lunch?"

"I'm not hungry," she answered.

He slowly made his way around the table. "Oh, come on Bones, even best-selling, brilliant, beautiful, forensic anthropologists need to eat."

He was trying to butter her up. He had been so excited about talking to Angela that he hadn't really thought to stop and say hi to Brennan first. He just assumed that after he and Angela had had their little chat that he and Brennan would just go to the diner and everything would be fine. Booth forgot that even though she would never admit, Brennan was the jealous type. Even though he was sure that deep down Brennan knew that nothing was going on between himself and Angela, Brennan had most likely seen Angela's flirtatious tendencies and read them incorrectly.

"I said I'm not hungry." He reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'm working, Booth." She tried to pull away, but he held on.

"Well, stop working and join me for lunch." He ran his thumb over her knuckles. It was a subtle seduction.

"I'm busy."

"You've been trying to identify this guy for weeks, Bones. He can remain unknown for another hour."

His fingers crawled slowly up her arm and over her shoulder. He left his hand at the base of her neck and massaged her slowly.

"Not at work," Brennan said, shrugging him off.

He leaned in closer to her. "You're jealous," he whispered.

Her cheeks instantly turned red. She walked back to the other side of the table so she was opposite from him. She was not going to let him seduce her, especially when he knew all the right things to do to accomplish just that.

"I'm not jealous," she hissed under her breath.

"You're jealous because I went to talk to Angela and not you. You're jealous because I made her laugh."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Brennan replied as she tried to concentrate solely on the bones in front of her. Having him so close, though was making it incredibly difficult.

"If it makes you feel better, I was talking to her about you."

Brennan looked up at him. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Does that make you less jealous?"

"I'm not jealous," she insisted. Brennan picked up her magnifying glass again. She wasn't even sure what she was looking for anymore. She had almost given up hope on ever identifying the victim.

Booth moved next to her. "Come to lunch with me," he said.

"You're infuriating, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." He leaned in closer to her again. "I also know you're the only one for me. Now put the magnifying glass down and come to lunch with me."

Brennan sighed. She was powerless against him. "Give me ten minutes."

"I'll be in the car."

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then walked off the platform, leaving Brennan shaking her head. She didn't know how he always managed to get her to do what he wanted. Brennan began to carefully but quickly put the bones back in their container. She brought the container back to the bone room and then stopped in her office to discard her lab coat. She met Booth at his SUV in the parking garage exactly ten minutes later. He was leaning against the door. He smiled when he saw her.

"Right on time," he said. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her against his body.

"Booth!" She exclaimed.

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"That expression doesn't make any sense. You can't wear out somebody's na…"

He leaned down and kissed her hard. He needed to prove that she was the only one for him. She allowed herself to enjoy the kiss for merely seconds before she placed the palms of her hands and pushed against him.

"We're at work," she insisted.

"We're in the parking lot."

"There are cameras."

"Then let's give the security guys a show." Booth captured her lips once again. He felt her body relax against his. Her arms wrapped around him, her hands playing with the hair at the base of his neck.

"I'm hungry," she whispered.

He gave her one last kiss before letting her go.

"You sure do know how to ruin a moment, Bones."

Brennan walked around the car and got in. Booth followed suit. He started the car and backed out of the parking spot. He waved at the parking lot attendant as they made their way out onto the busy DC streets.

"So, why were you and Angela talking about me?" Brennan asked.

"Oh you know, we were just sharing your most embarrassing moments."

"Booth!" Brennan yelled.

"Kidding, Bones. Just kidding." She crossed her arms over her chest, showing him that she was not amused. "Hey, don't start being mad at me again."

"I'm not mad."

"Yes you are. You always get that little crease in your forehead when you're mad."

"I do not."

Brennan pulled the visor down to look in the mirror. She could easily see the crease Booth was talking about. She tried to relax her face to make it go away. She looked over at Booth. He was smirking.

"Stop it," she commanded.

"I'm not doing anything."

"You're being smug."

"No, I'm not." Brennan huffed and turned her body away from him. "You know, you're cute when you're angry."

"Well, right now I don't find you very cute."

"Oh no?"

"No."

"Well, that's too bad, because I find you irresistible, babe."  
He put his hand on her thigh.

She rolled her eyes and pushed his hand away. "Even though the term babe is often used as a term of endearment, by definition it actually refers to a baby or an inexperienced person. Being that I am not a baby or inexperienced, I find the term quite offensive."

"I guess we'll stick to my girl then. Unless, of course, you have a problem with that?"

She thought about it. "As I've said before, I'm not a girl, but…I accept that as a term of endearment."

"Well, glad we got that settled then."

Booth put his hand back on her leg. She covered it with her own hand.

"I'm sorry I was angry earlier. I know nothing is going on between you and Angela. I was being…irrational."

"Well, I accept your apology."

"That wasn't an apology, but I understand why you might have thought that."

"Just know that you're the only one for me."

They drove in comfortable silence the rest of the way to the diner. Booth couldn't wipe the smile off his face. With Angela's help, he had it all planned out. He was going to propose to Brennan and she was going to say yes.

Author's Note: So, this chapter might have been a little out of character for Brennan, but I decided to just go with it. Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

11 Days Later

Friday

7:12 PM

Booth had it all planned out. He and Angela had worked out every detail. He was going to make the night unforgettable. He was going to make it so she couldn't say no. The only trouble was, they were both so busy that nights rarely belonged to them. Brennan had started lecturing to a group of doctoral candidates on the importance of skeletal reconstructions while Booth had been forced into a FBI seminar about profiling suspects. When they weren't working, they were busy unpacking, choosing paint samples, looking for the perfect couch, and otherwise trying to put their house together. It was hard to believe that as much time as they spent together, the amount of time that they spent together alone was rare. That didn't stop Booth though from going forward with his plan. He told Brennan that, because they had both been so busy, he wanted them to have a date night and he knew exactly what day it had to be. After explaining to her what date night was, she finally agreed that it sounded like a good idea. It took a little more convincing to get her to clear her calendar that particular night, but she finally gave in.

As Booth shut his office door, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He looked at the time. He cursed at himself for working so late. He still had a lot to do. He had to stop at the florist to pick up the flowers he had ordered and run by his apartment to shower and change before he picked up Brennan at home. Even though he rarely went to his apartment since they had gotten the keys to the house, Booth had decided to hold on to it until his lease was up. It proved to be a good idea. He needed somewhere where he could get ready without having Brennan around. All she knew about the night was that she needed to be ready at eight o'clock wearing something beautiful and sexy. Booth hadn't given away any more information than that.

Booth was about to put his phone away when it beeped. He looked down and saw he had a text message from Angela. He opened his phone and read it.

'Problem. Brennan's still at work. Won't budge.'

Booth rolled his eyes. He should have known that Brennan would still be working. He typed a message back to Angela.

'I'll take care of it. Thanks.'

'Good luck.'

Booth smiled before speed dialing Brennan. He only had to wait two rings before she picked up.

"Are you ready?" He asked, even though he knew she wasn't. He didn't want her to know that he had Angela keeping tabs on her for him.

"It's only six o'clock, Booth," Brennan answered.

"Check your clock again, Bones. It's after seven."

There was a long pause as if Brennan were checking to see if he was right.

"I guess I lost track of time."

"Go home, Bones, put on something elegant and sexy and…"

"I'm really quite busy, Booth."

Booth should have seen that one coming. He continued his journey through the FBI building to the elevators.

"You're not cancelling."

"I'm not suggesting we cancel. I'm suggesting we postpone."

"We're not postponing," he stated. It had to be that day, not only because Booth had it planned out already, but because the day was important. "We decided this was going to be date night."

"I don't understand why this date night so important, Booth. There are plenty of other nights we could enjoy an evening together."

"We're going out tonight, Bones," he said as he got into the elevator.

"But…"

"When was the last time we were alone together, Bones, when we weren't at work or in bed?" He didn't wait for her to answer. "It's been a while. So, please, for me, stop whatever you're doing, go home, get ready, and be prepared for a romantic evening with me."

"Well, when you put it that way…"

He could sense in her voice that she was smiling. The elevator stopped at the ground level. Booth got out and headed for his car.

"I'll see you in an hour," Booth said. He paused, waiting for her to respond. She didn't. "You're going to leave work now, Bones aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Do I need to come there to make sure?"

"No, Booth, I am capable of leaving on my own."

"That's my girl. I'll see you in an hour."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too."

Booth ended the phone call. He made his way to his car and climbed in. He looked into the backseat at the garment bag that was holding his tuxedo he had rented for the occasion. He knew it was formal, but he wanted everything to be perfect. And, as long as Brennan really was leaving the lab, it would be perfect.

8:00 PM

Booth closed the front door behind him and flipped on the hallway light. He could see Brennan's coat hanging on the coat rack by the door. Her briefcase was dropped haphazardly next to it. With a dozen daisies and daffodils in his hand, Booth began to walk up the stairs. He could hear music playing from the bedroom. It meant Brennan was getting ready. She always got ready while listening to music. It was one of the unexpected things he had learned about her since their cohabitation. The bedroom door was open. Booth looked in, but couldn't see her. He did, however, see the clothes she had been wearing earlier strewn all over the bed. One shoe was in the middle of the doorway. The other was halfway across the room. Booth could only imagine the mad dash she went on trying to discard her clothes. He only wished he had been there to witness it.

As Booth was about to take a step forward into the bedroom, the door slammed shut in front of him.

"Hey!" He shouted.

"No peeking," Brennan said through the door.

Booth tried the door handle. It was locked.

"Come on, Bones," he whined.

"You're the one who wants this night to be special. I don't want you to see me until I'm ready. Now go downstairs like a good gentleman and wait."

"But this is my bedroom, too."

"Not right now it's not."

"That's not fair."

"What's that you always tell Parker? Life's not fair."

Booth leaned his forehead against the door. His mind was going crazy with what she possibly could have been wearing behind the oak door. He started to think that maybe going out wasn't as good of a plan as staying in.

"Hey Bones?"

"Why aren't you downstairs yet?" Her voice was further away. He guessed she was in the attached bathroom.

"What are you wearing?"

"Downstairs. Now!" She shouted.

Rolling his eyes, Booth walked away from the door and went back downstairs. He flopped down on the brown, leather sofa that he and Brennan had finally agreed upon and waited.

It took Brennan only another twenty minutes to finally get ready. She was never one of those women who had to spend hours in front of the mirror prepping before an evening out, but she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Booth had made it very clear that the night was supposed to be a special one. She wanted to make sure she was dressed to please. Brennan took one last look in the mirror before opening the bedroom door and making her way downstairs.

Booth could hear her high heeled shoes as she made her way down the stairs. He scrambled off the couch and walked to the front foyer. He looked up the steps and his heart fluttered. She was the epitome of beauty. Her cobalt blue dress was intricately detailed with rhinestones in a swirling pattern. The top was a halter, wrapping behind her beautiful neck. Booth knew that with just one pull of the strings, the dress would pool around her feet. The mental image made his throat go dry. The dress landed just above her knee, showing off her killer legs, which just happened to be Booth's favorite feature. It was perfect.

"I believe Angela would say, 'eyes up top,' seeing as how you seem very focused on my body," Brennan said, smiling flirtatiously.

"That's because I love your body."

Booth took his eyes off her amazing body and concentrated on her face. It was like the cherry on top of a very delicious sundae. Her hair was pinned up, leaving just a few curled tendrils around her face. Her lips were a bright red, her eyes smoky. Booth didn't know how she could go from straight-faced, world-renown forensic anthropologist to drop dead beauty in a killer dress in a matter of minutes.

Brennan gauged Booth's reaction as she neared the last few steps. It was definitely the reaction she was going for. His eyes were wide, his face slightly flushed. He hadn't taken his eyes off of her since she had appeared. It was an obvious sign of a man who was aroused.

As she reached the last step, Booth put out his hand. She put her hand in his and he helped her down the last step.

"You look..." He began to say. He kissed her on the cheek. "Words can't describe how amazing you look."

"You look very handsome yourself." She had seen Booth in a tuxedo before, but seeing him standing at the bottom of the stairs, he looked better than she had ever seen him.

He leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "You're beautiful, exquisite, and incredibly sexy. You have no idea how turned on I am right now."

"I have some idea," she replied. "Want to cancel dinner? This dress can come off just as easily as it went on."

"Don't tempt me," he nearly growled. It was becoming increasingly difficult to stay in control. Booth had to remind himself that he was on a mission. Brennan was going to agree to marry him and he didn't want her agreement to come as a result of the throws of ecstasy. He did not want to ask her in bed. He wanted to ask her when her mind was clear.

"I like tempting you," Brennan said, reaching for the lapels of his tuxedo.

"I know you do. But we are going to dinner."

"Why?"

"Because you look too good to stay home. These are for you," Booth said, showing her the flowers.

"My favorites," she said, bringing the flowers to her nose. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent.

"I know." He kissed her on top of the head. "You ready?"

"Let me just go put these in water." She headed off for the kitchen. Booth couldn't help but look at her as she walked off. He admired her from behind almost as much as he admired her form the front.

It took Brennan only minutes to find a vase and put the flowers in it along with some water. She put the flowers in the middle of the table and walked back out to where Booth was waiting.

"Shall we, Dr. Brennan?" Booth asked as he put his arm out. She nodded as she looped her arm through his. They walked together out of the house. A black, stretch limousine was parked in front of the house. Brennan gasped and stopped in her tracks.

"Booth, this is…"

"For you," he replied. "This is for you."

"Is there something wrong with your car?"

"What?"

"I can only assume that you had to hire a car because your car is not working."

"My car is fine, Bones. I told you, tonight is special. Now come on, we're going to be late for our reservation."

Booth led her down the walk to the limousine. The driver got out of the car and opened the door for them both. Holding Brennan's hand, Booth helped her into the car. He slid in after her. Even though the car was big enough for at least ten other people, Booth sat right next to her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"So, where are we going?" Brennan asked as the car pulled away from the curb.

"You'll see."

"You know I don't like surprises."

"You'll like this one."

It took them nearly a half hour to get to their destination. No matter how much she pestered him, Booth wouldn't tell her where they were going. The closer they got, the more nervous he got. Even though he had everything planned out and he told himself that he would be able to change her mind about marriage, he was nervous. He was afraid she'd say no and that it would ruin everything they had.

"Booth?"

The sound of Brennan's voice tore him way from his thoughts. "Hmm?"

"The limousine has stopped."

Booth looked out the window as the limousine driver opened the car door. Booth thanked the driver and got out of the car. He straightened his tuxedo and then put out his hand to help Brennan out of the car. She wrapped her small hand in his and he pulled her to her feet. She looked around, taking in her surroundings.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"You'll see."

Author's Note: I know some of you were probably expecting a proposal in this chapter, but I couldn't give it to you just yet. Don't worry though, it's coming! I hope you liked this chapter. I'm having a lot of fun writing all those "couple" moments between Booth and Bones. Don't forget to review!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Friday

9:31 PM

Taking her by the hand, Booth crossed the thick grass and walked towards the large structure. As they reached the white, marble steps, Brennan saw the yellow caution tape that was wrapped around the entire building. Tourists passed by. Some stopped, grumbling about the tape keeping them from their destination. Others just kept walking. Brennan looked around, confused. She had never seen the monument closed before.

"Booth, what are we…"

Booth picked up the caution tape as if he belonged there. He held the tape up for Brennan to go underneath. She didn't move.

"Are we at a crime scene?" Brennan asked. She looked down at the high heels she was wearing. They definitely were not good shoes to be wearing at a crime scene. She wondered why Booth hadn't just told her that they were working.

Booth laughed. "No, Bones. This isn't a crime scene."

"Then what are we doing here?"

"We are having date night."

Brennan still felt perplexed. She wondered if she was misunderstanding something. She did not like surprises. She always liked to be in control.

"Are we supposed to be here?"

"Yes. Now, are we going to stand here all day or are you going to go under the tape?"

Brennan looked around one last time before she ducked under the tape. Booth immediately was at her side. He held her hand as they began their ascent up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. As they walked together slowly, Booth playfully bumped her hip with his.

"Hey!" Brennan exclaimed, nearly stumbling. "Heels, Booth. I'm in heels."

"And they look damn good, too." Brennan rolled her eyes. Booth brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Don't worry, I'll catch you if you fall."

"You better."

They continued walking up the fifty-eight steps. When they reached the top, Brennan barely saw the impressive statue of the sixteenth president. She was too busy concentrating on something else; something that wasn't usually in the middle of the Lincoln Memorial. All Brennan could see was the intricate table set up in front of the statue. It was a small table, covered in a deep red, linen table cloth. It was set with gold-rimmed china and matching candlestick holders with glowing white candles in the middle of the table. A wine bottle sat chilling on ice. Two chairs were on either side of the table.

Brennan looked over at Booth. Booth hadn't been looking at the table or the statue of Abraham Lincoln or anything else but her. He hadn't stopped staring at her. He wanted to see her reaction to the setup and he wasn't disappointed. He saw the sparkle in her eye as she took it all in and the awe on her face. All of his nervousness disappeared. Step one was complete. She was impressed.

"Booth…I…" She didn't know what to say.

"You like it?" Booth asked, putting his arm around her waist.

"This is...this is beautiful."

"You're beautiful." He saw a tear leak from the corner of her eye. Booth immediately kissed the tear away. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"No...I…I'm not crying."

He brushed another tear away.

"Could have fooled me."

"I'm not crying because I feel sad. I…they're good tears. Very good tears."

"I like good tears."

"But how…" Brennan felt speechless. It was rare that she was at a loss for words, but she didn't know what to say. No one had ever done anything like that before for her. "How did you do all of this?"

He shrugged. "I know a guy who does security at some of the monuments. He owed me a favor."

"You got him to shut down the Lincoln Memorial just for us?"

"It was a very big favor. And, if anyone asks, they had to close the memorial for routine maintenance."

Booth chuckled, making Brennan giggle.

"This is amazing. Thank you."

He kissed her on the top of the head. "You're welcome."

She turned to face him and reached for his lapels. She pulled him towards her and kissed him.

"Thank you," she repeated against his lips. "But, you didn't have to do this. A dinner at a nice restaurant would have sufficed."

"Not tonight. Tonight's special. Tonight's about me and you and this place. This place that brought us together." Another tear rolled down her cheek. Booth brushed it away with the pad of his thumb. "I made you cry again."

"Good tears," she reminded him. She wasn't usually a crier, but she was overcome with emotion. She knew without a doubt that she loved him and he loved her and it felt more right than anything ever had before.

Booth put his hand at her lower back. "Shall we?" They walked over to the table. Booth pulled out one of the chairs and Brennan sat. He helped push her closer to the table before making his way to sit across from her.

"I hope you're hungry," he said. He reached beside him into a wicker basket. He pulled out a silver, covered tray. "Because we have enough food to feed an army."

"That probably isn't quite accurate. I imagine it would take quite a bit more food to feed an entire army."

Booth pulled the cover off the tray, revealing a pile of steamed dumplings. Brennan smiled. "Thai?" She asked.

"I knew it was your favorite."

"From Thai Palace?"

"Would we get Thai from anywhere else?"

This time Brennan laughed out loud. There they were in an exclusive, gorgeous location dressed exquisitely eating Thai food. It was perfect.

"I love you," she said.

Booth leaned over the table to kiss her. "I love you too."

Booth put the dumplings in the middle of the table between the two candlesticks. He reached into the basket again and pulled out a silver tray of pad Thai. Three more trays were brought onto the table before Booth pulled the bottle of wine out of the ice bucket. He poured Brennan's glass first and then some into his own glass. He held his glass up, obviously making a toast.

"To date night," he said.

"To date night," she repeated, clinking her glass against his. They each took a sip.

"Well, dig in," Booth said.

They each scooped food onto their plates and began to eat. They fell into their usual rhythm. They talked about work and the house and the usual things. They argued over who would eat the last dumpling. They reminisced about the past and otherwise just enjoyed each other's presence. They spent over an hour just eating their meal. As Brennan finished off her last bit of pad Thai, Booth quickly downed the rest of his wine. He was trying to give himself liquid courage to ask her what he knew he needed to ask her. With dinner over, he knew it was his time. Booth stood up and walked over to her so that he was standing next to her.

"Booth, what are you..."

"Dance with me," he stated. It wasn't exactly a question. And it certainly wasn't the question he was going to ask, but it was a start. He wanted to feel her in his arms.

"What?"

"Would you dance with me?"

"But there's no music."

"We don't need music."

He held out his hand. She took the napkin off her lap and put her hand in his. He helped her to her feet. He led her away from the table and put his right arm around her waist. She put her hand on his back and let him wrap his fingers through her left hand.

"You are so beautiful."

"You said that already."

"Well, some things bear repeating, especially when they're true."

He pulled her close to him and they began to sway. It wasn't as much a dance as it was them clinging to each other and moving rhythmically back and forth. But Booth was right, they didn't need music. They just needed each other. Brennan nuzzled against his neck, leaving her head leaning on his chest. His left hand traveled down her arm and snaked around her. She looped her arms around his neck. They were barely moving. Booth could feel her sigh. He knew she was happy. He knew it was time.

"Bones?"

"Mmm?" She answered almost sleepily.

"Do you love me?"

She looked up at him.

"You know I love you."

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. Why are you asking me this?" She looked confused. Booth took both of her hands in his.

"I love you, Bones."

"I know that. You're...you're scaring me Booth. I..."

"Just let me get this out," he stated. He took a deep breath. "I love you. I didn't even know what true love was until I met you. And I know that you don't believe that love is forever. You don't believe that humans can be monogamous and you think that marriage is unnecessary and I know that you're afraid of what might happen in the future, but, I'm not, Bones." He took another breath, trying to slow down his words. "I believe that when you find that person…that one person who makes your life complete, that one person you can't live without…that love can be forever. And you're it for me, Bones. You're the one who makes my life complete. You're the one I can't live without. You're the one I want to spend forever with."

Brennan opened her mouth to speak, but she was silenced when Booth let go of her right hand and got down on one knee.

"I love you, Bones. All I'm asking is for you to trust me. Trust me that this will work. Trust me that this is forever. You've always trusted me with your life, now trust me with your heart." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black jewelry box. He opened it and revealed a round, solitaire diamond. "Would you marry me?"

Brennan gasped. She stared at the ring. Her mind was swimming. Booth was right, she didn't believe in marriage. She thought two people couldn't really commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives because no one could predict the future. No one could say for sure that two people could still be in love years after they agreed to spend the rest of their lives together.

But then her mind cleared. She stopped thinking about what she had always believed to be true and started thinking about what she knew to be true. She loved Booth. And, although she couldn't predict the future, she trusted him. She trusted him enough to know that they would love each other for the rest of their lives.

"Yes," she said, finally looking at him.

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'll marry you."

Booth stood up. He looked into her eyes, trying to see if there was any doubt behind them. There was none. He crashed his lips against hers and kissed her hard. She slipped her arms around his neck as lifted her by her waist. He swept her off her feet and twirled her around. It was cliché, but he couldn't help it. He was so ecstatic, he couldn't hide it. She had said yes.

"Say it again," he said.

"What?"

"Say yes again."

"Yes," she repeated.

He put her back down on her feet. "We're going to get married," he said out loud as if he couldn't believe it.

"Yes we are."

"You and me, husband and wife. I never thought I'd be able to say that." He looked deep into her eyes. "You're not scared?"

"I have to admit, I am a little…scared," she admitted.

"Bones…"

"You got your say now let me have mine," she interrupted. Booth took a deep breath. He reminded himself that whatever she had to say, he could take it. "I never believed that I could love someone forever. I still don't know what the future will hold. Nobody can know that. And it scares me to think that everyone I have ever loved has left me."

"I'll…"

She put her finger against his lips, silencing him. "I know you won't leave me. I know that now. I trust you. I trust that you won't leave me. I trust you with my life. I trust you with my heart. I'm not going to run, Booth. I promise you that."

"Can I speak now?" Booth asked, sensing she was done. She nodded, giving him permission. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"And I'll never leave you."

"I know." Booth leaned down and kissed her again. "Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I have the ring now?"

Booth hadn't realized he was still holding it. He took the ring out of the box and slipped it on Brennan's finger. It fit perfectly. Brennan held her hand out, admiring the ring.

"What do you think?" He asked. The ring was the one thing he was most unsure about. It was difficult pegging Brennan's style. He wasn't sure if he should go with traditional or something different. In the end, with Angela's help, he went with traditional. He just couldn't help it. He loved tradition.

"It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you. I can't believe we're going to get married."

"I don't think it is that unbelievable. It is something that the majority of adults do especially if they are in a committed relationship as we have been."

"Yeah, but this is us. Could you honestly say when we first met that you thought we would get married?"

"Of course not. Nobody can predict the future."

"I love you so much." He kissed her. "Are you ready for dessert?"

Brennan's eyes lit up. "Dessert? What is it?"

Booth made his way over to the table. He took one last tray out of the basket. He took the cover off and showed her the dozen chocolate dipped strawberries inside.

"My favorite," Brennan said.

"Your favorite. I told you this night would be perfect."

Brennan put her hands on his chest. "You know what would make it more perfect?"

"What's that?"

"Taking our dessert to go."

She raised her eyebrows and he got her meaning. "I like the way you think."

Author's Note: So, I know everyone was really looking forward to this chapter and I hope it didn't disappoint. Thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Saturday

2:28 AM

"Are you awake?" Brennan whispered.

"Kind of hard to sleep after that," Booth replied, stifling a yawn. He was exhausted, but he felt so alive that he couldn't sleep.

Brennan kissed his naked shoulder. She snuggled up against his left side, taking in his warmth. Her hand was resting on his chest, over his heart. He was sprawled out with one hand resting over hers and the other underneath her head. Their legs were tangled with the only remaining blanket on the bed. The sheet and other blanket were somewhere on the floor with what remained of their tray of chocolate covered strawberries, completely forgotten. They were both physically spent, but incredibly satisfied.

"That was rather satisfying," Brennan remarked.

"Satisfying? That's it? That's the word you use to describe what just happened?"

"It is an accurate description of how I feel."

"That's wasn't just satisfying, Bones. That was…that was indescribable."

She smiled a knowing smile. She had never shared with another man what she shared with Booth. He was right. Satisfying didn't begin to describe what they had shared.

"You are correct. We are very compatible."

"That's the understatement of the century."

Brennan closed her eyes and moved her head so that she was resting it on his shoulder. She kissed the spot above his collarbone and sighed. Booth picked up her left hand and looked at her engagement ring. He still couldn't believe that she had agreed to be his wife. He kissed each of her knuckles.

"What are you thinking?" Booth asked softly.

"I'm happy."

Booth smiled. "Me too."

"And sleepy," Brennan added. She yawned. "Happy and sleepy."

"That's two of the seven dwarfs. Well, three actually because technically you are a Doc." Brennan picked up her head to look him in the eye. He could tell by the look on her face that she had no idea what he was talking about. It was a look he had grown accustomed to. "Snow White."

"What?"

"The seven dwarves in Snow White. You know, Happy, Sleepy, Doc, Sneezy, Dopey, Grumpy and…and I always forget the seventh one."

"You're not making any sense. Those are very unusual names."

"They're dwarves, Bones."

"The term little people is a more commonly accepted term for people who have dwarfism."

"Didn't you ever watch Snow White?"

"I believe a teacher may have read it to my class once, but I don't think I ever saw the movie."

"I can't believe you've never seen Snow White."

"I told I have heard the story. It's a fairy tale about a girl who foolishly eats a poison apple and needs a prince's kiss to awaken her. It's incredibly unrealistic."

"That's why it's a fairy tale."

"Fairy tales are stories passed down through generations. Most of them are meant to teach children some sort of lesson. In my opinion, they also can be very damaging to our society."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because, like the story of Snow White, other fairy tales are often full of princesses and prince charmings and talking animals and other unrealistic elements that make the children in our society believe things that aren't real."

"It's called imagination, Bones."

"Yes, but there have been studies conducted that indicate that fairy tales can be linked to less women being in the fields of science, mathematics, politics, and other male-dominated fields."

"But you're a forensic anthropologist. Isn't that a male-dominated field?" Booth asked, with a slight smirk that Brennan didn't notice. He was only indulging her in her wild theory because it amused him. He had learned to let her voice her opinions even if he didn't always completely agree.

"Yes, but that only further proves my point. I didn't watch fairy tales as a young child so therefore I wasn't dissuaded from pursuing a career in science. Also, not pursuing such a prestigious career would have been a waste of my high intelligence."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

"Well, there's only one problem with your theory, Bones."

Booth playfully dragged his finger from her shoulder down the slope of her stomach along her side. He traced her hip and reached as far down her gorgeous legs as he could before dragging his finger slowly back up.

"Which is?"

"You weren't able to completely avoid fairy tales. You might not have watched them but you did have them read to you."

"True, but I have always known the difference between reality and pretend. I was a very intelligent child."

"I don't doubt it. So you're saying that the inequality of the sexes can all be blamed on fairy tales, huh?"

"Of course I'm not saying that. A colleague of mine in graduate school did her thesis on this very topic. According to her research, believing in fairy tales can lead young girls in our society to think that a handsome prince is going to sweep them off their feet when instead they should be focusing on their education and making positive contributions to society. It really is a tragedy, Booth."

"Does that mean you won't be reading fairy tales to our children, Bones?"

"Of course not. It's a complete waste of time. I believe our child will benefit from science journals and medical essays."

"So, no Barbies either, huh?"  
"I don't know what you mean."

"We better have a boy," Booth mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Never mind."

"Booth…"

Booth rolled over so that he was on top of her. He silenced her with a long, drawn out kiss.

"We can discuss what you will or will not read to our hypothetical children another time," he said. He kissed her again. "We have something much more important to discuss."

"Which is?"

"What kind of wedding do you want?"

"What?"

"What kind of wedding would you like?" She didn't answer. Instead, she softly pushed him off of her. He flopped down next to her. He perched himself on his side so he could look at her. She stayed on her back, staring at the ceiling. She pulled the blanket up so that it was tucked up to her chin. Booth began to panic.

"You know, Bones, when I asked you to marry me and you said yes and I put that ring on your finger, you do know that that meant we were going to have a wedding, right?"

"Of course I knew that."

"Then why aren't you answering me? Please don't tell me it's because you're changing your mind because if you are, Bones…"

"I'm not changing my mind."

He breathed a sigh of relief. He brushed a piece of hair away from her face.

"Then, what is it?"

"I've never thought about a wedding before."

"What do you mean?"

She rolled over on her side so they were facing each other.

"I know it's customary for girls to dream about their weddings. It's a very expected custom. Angela even told me that she had her entire wedding planned out by the time she was thirteen, which seems like an incredible waste of time." Booth smiled. "But, I…I never thought I'd get married so I never planned a wedding. I don't know what I want for a wedding, Booth. Perhaps that scares me more than anything."

He kissed her forehead. "It's ok to be scared. Do you know how scared I was to ask you to marry me?"

"Why were you scared?"

"Isn't it obvious? I was afraid you'd say no. I was afraid you'd never marry me."

"That could have been a very plausible scenario."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"No. Am I supposed to make you feel better?"

Booth shook his head. "No, Bones. You said yes. That's all that matters."

"What would you have done if I had said no?"

Booth sighed. He had run that scenario through his head dozens of times. If she had said no, he knew he had only one choice.

"I wouldn't have given up. I would have kept asking you. Every day, I would have asked you until I could convince you…until I could show you that this would work. And I wouldn't have cared how long it would take. A year. Five years. Fifty years. I wouldn't have cared, Bones. But I wouldn't have given up because I know this is right. I know this is meant to be."

Brennan looked away from her. "I'm sorry, Booth."

"Sorry for what?"

"I know that I love you, but it is very difficult for me to say that something can last forever when there is no way to know. I just wish I could be as sure as you are. "

"You don't have to be sorry. You will be as sure as I am. One day, Bones, you will be. I will make sure of that."

"I'm glad you asked me to marry you, Booth."

"I'm glad you said yes. I've been trying to work up the courage for two months. I've been carrying that ring around with me everywhere."

"You've had plenty of opportunities where we've been together. Why didn't you ask me before?"

"I couldn't just ask you."

"Why not?"

"Because I wanted to wait for the right moment. I wanted it to be perfect."

"It was."

"And…" He trailed off. It was difficult to say it out loud.

"And what?"

"This day…I picked this day, Bones, because I needed this day to change in my memory."

"I don't understand."

"Do you know what today is?" Brennan shook her head. "One year, Bones."

"One year since what?"

"One year ago today…you were taken from me. One year ago, Collin Brown took you and I thought I'd lost you forever."

Brennan was shocked. She hadn't realized that it had been a year. The past year had changed her life. Brennan kissed him lightly as a tear spilled down his cheek.

"You didn't lose me."

"I almost did."

"Parker always says almost doesn't count, although I'm not quite sure that is an accurate statement."

Booth didn't smile like he normally would have. He couldn't get the memory of that day out of his mind. It plagued him almost every day.

"I needed to erase that memory, Bones, and replace it with a good one. That's why I chose today to propose. It had to be today. I don't ever want to think about pulling up to that van and seeing that burned body and finding out it wasn't you and then seeing those pictures and…" He turned away, not wanting her to see his tears.

"It's over, Booth. It's all over."

They were quiet for several minutes. Brennan just held him like she knew he would for her. Somehow she knew her kidnapping was as bad for him as it was for her. Booth finally turned back to her.

"Do you know why I brought you there, Bones? Do you know why I brought you to the Lincoln Memorial when I could have brought you to any five star restaurant in the DC area?"

"Because it's a beautiful location? We both enjoy being there."

"That's true, but it's not just that. That's our place, Bones."

"Technically, the memorial belongs to the government."

"I'm not saying we own it, I'm just saying…it's where you first told me you loved me. It's where I first told you I loved you. It's where we finally came together. That's why it's our places, Bones. It will always be our place."

"I like that. That we have a place."

"Me too."

"Thank you for making this night so special."

"Anything for you."

They shared a light, but meaningful kiss.

"I love you," she said quietly.

"And I love you." He kissed her again. "Now we better get some sleep. Rebecca is dropping off Parker in less than six hours." Booth rolled onto his back and put his arm around her. He pulled her against him. "Goodnight Bones."

"Goodnight, Booth."

She closed her eyes, sighing contently.

"Bashful," he whispered.

"What?"

"The seventh dwarf. His name was Bashful."

"That seems like a very silly name."

"That's the point, Bones. Don't worry, you'll learn all their names when you read it to our children."

"I already told you, Booth, that I will not be reading fairy tales to our child because they are unrealistic and potentially damaging in our society."

"Goodnight, Bones," Booth said, smiling. Booth placed a kiss on her cheek. Within minutes, they both succumbed to sleep.

Author's Note: So, this chapter was actually supposed to include another scene, but I just couldn't stop writing the dialogue between Booth and Brennan so I decided to push the scene to the next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Saturday

8:04 AM

Brennan had just finished blow drying her hair when she heard the doorbell ring. She quickly ran a brush through her dried locks and threw it up in a ponytail. She heard Booth walk out of the bedroom and down the stairs to get the door. Brennan reached out her left hand to open the bathroom door when she saw the ring on her finger. Seeing it made her stop. She lifted her hand closer to her face to examine it. It was a beautiful piece of jewelry. Even though Brennan had never given much thought about diamond rings, she had to admit that Booth had done a very good job at picking out the ring. But it wasn't the actual diamond that had Brennan standing at the bathroom door, staring at her finger. It was what the ring symbolized that made Brennan hold her breath. She had agreed to marry him. Temperance Brennan, the woman who never believed in marriage and never thought she would get married, was engaged. Brennan smiled. She was a changed woman and she knew it. Brennan stared at the ring a few seconds longer before taking a deep breath and opening the door.

When she made it to the end of the hallway and down the stairs, Brennan saw Booth standing by the front door with Parker and Rebecca. Parker was showing him a new handheld video game he had while Rebecca was telling Booth that she would pick him up after dinner. Brennan approached them, being careful to hide her hand behind her back.

"Hey, Dr. Bones!" Parker exclaimed. He ran over to her and hugged her. With the height difference between them, Parker's arms were wrapped mostly around her legs. Brennan embraced him with her right arm only and patted him on the back. Booth smiled at them.

"Hi Parker," Brennan said.

"Look at my new game!" He exclaimed as he waved the electronic toy in front of Brennan's face.

"That's very nice."

"Hey, Parker, why don't you go upstairs to your room with Bones so I can talk to your mom?" Booth suggested.

"Why can't I stay?" Parker asked.

"Parker," Booth said sternly.

"Come on, Parker, you can show me how to play your game upstairs," Brennan said.

"Ok," Parker finally agreed. He took Brennan by the hand. "Come on, Dr, Bones."

Booth caught Brennan's eye and she nodded. They had decided that morning as they had brushed their teeth next to each other at their his and her sinks that they should tell Rebecca and Parker soon about their engagement. Booth knew he wouldn't be able to keep it a secret for long and it was only right that Rebecca and Parker should know first. They also decided that Booth would tell Rebecca on his own, but that they would tell Parker together.

Brennan and Parker headed up the stairs to Parker's room, leaving Rebecca and Booth alone.

"Why do I feel like I'm about to be ambushed?" Rebecca asked.

"I…ah…have something I need to tell you. Something important. Why don't you sit down?" Booth pointed to the couch.

"I'm good here." Rebecca crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to continue. Booth looked down at the floor. "Seeley? What's going on? Is it Parker? Is something wrong?"

Booth looked up to face her. "No. It's not Parker. This is good news...I hope."

"Seeley, just tell me."

Booth took a deep breath. "I…I asked Bones to marry me and she said yes," he blurted out. He hadn't realized how difficult that was to say. Even though he and Rebecca had long since been over, it was still a complex thing. She would always be the mother of his child even though she wasn't the woman he was in love with, she would always be in his life.

"That's it?" Rebecca asked.

"What do you mean that's it? Did you hear me? Bones and I are getting married." Rebecca laughed out loud. "What's so funny?"

"You had me thinking you were dying or something, Seeley."

"You're not…surprised?"

"Surprised? Of course I'm not surprised. Ever since you two announced you were a couple, I've been waiting to hear those wedding bells. Hell, from the moment you two started working together, we all knew."

"I thought you might be…mad."

"Mad? Why?"

"Well, because we were once and item and…"

"That was a long time ago."

"I know. But we have Parker and whoever I'm with will be a part of Parker's life and…"

Rebecca put up her hand, silencing him. "Seeley, I've been waiting for you to find somebody to be happy with it. I'm glad it's Dr. Brennan. She's a good person. She makes you a good person. Parker loves her and she loves Parker. I couldn't be happier."

"Thanks. We're going to tell Parker today."

"He'll be ecstatic."

"I hope so."

"He will be." Rebecca looked down at her watch. "I'm sorry, I've got to get going. I have an appointment to get to."

"Of course."

"Congratulations, Seeley. I am really very happy for you both."

She kissed him swiftly on the cheek.

"Thank you, Rebecca."

Booth walked her the few steps to the door and let her out. After he closed the door, Booth made his way up the stairs and to Parker's bedroom. Parker was sprawled out on his bed, playing with his video game. Brennan was sitting next to him, enthralled in what he was playing.

"You two having fun?" Booth asked from the doorway.

"This game is fascinating, Booth. It mimics actual society. With these little computerized people, you can do anything you would do in real life. Although the fact that you can speed up time in the game is very unrealistic."

"Games aren't supposed to be realistic, Bones. That's why they're games." He sat down on the bed next to Brennan. She looked at him and arched her eyebrow. He read her face, knowing she was asking how things went with Rebecca. He nodded and she smiled. "Hey bud, can you turn that off for a minute? Bones and I have something important we'd like to tell you."

Parker grumbled, but turned off his game. He sat up.

"What do you have to tell me?"

"Well, you know that Bones and I love each other very much, right?" Booth asked.

"Yeah. You two kiss every chance you get. It's gross."

Brennan laughed. "You also know," Booth continued. "That we both love you very much."

"Yeah, I know."

"Remember when you asked us when we first moved into the house why we don't get married?" Booth questioned.

"Yeah."

He took Brennan's hand. "Well, Bones and I have decided that we are going to get married."

Parker's eyes grew wide. He looked at Booth. Then he looked at Brennan. He went back and forth looking between them. Neither Brennan nor Booth knew what was going on. They couldn't exactly tell if Parker was excited, confused, or angry.

"Parker, we…" Brennan began.

Parker jumped off the bed. He threw his hands in the air and began to fist pump. He yowled in excitement and jumped up and down chanting the word, 'yes' over and over again.

"I think he's excited," Booth said with a big smile on his face.

"I'd say that is an accurate description of his emotions," Brennan agreed.

Booth stood up and scooped Parker into his arms. He twirled him around in a circle.

"Yeee!" Parker squealed.

Booth put Parker back down on his feet. "So? What do you think?" Booth asked.

"I think that's awesome. When Dr. Bones becomes your wife, she'll be like my other mom and then she can come to all my little league games and school stuff and stuff."

"I'd love that," Brennan said.

Parker was beaming. This was going way better than Booth expected. He knew that Parker was fond of Brennan, but he wasn't sure how his son would take it. Obviously, Parker was taking it very well.

"If you're getting married, does this mean I have to wear an uncomfortable suit to your wedding?" Parker asked. "Because I hate those suits."

"We'll see about that," Booth answered.

"Wait," Parker said. He pointed his finger at Brennan. "Are you pregnant?"

"Parker!" Booth shouted, taken aback. "Why would you ask that?"

"Steve's mom got married last month and his mom's belly is huge. They said there's a baby in there."

"Well, Parker, fetuses don't actually live in women's bellies," Brennan explained. "They actually live in a woman's…"

"Bones isn't having a baby," Booth interrupted. "At least not right now."

Parker shrugged. "Cool. So, when are you getting married? Tomorrow?"

"No, bud, not tomorrow. We're not sure yet, we haven't really talked about it. But we wanted to make sure you were one of the first to know."

"Can I go back to my game now?"

Booth rolled his eyes. "For a few more minutes. Then we're going out."

"Out?" Parker asked with wide, excited eyes. "Where?"

"I don't know, Bones, what do you think?" Booth replied. "Think we should go to the opera?"

"Noooo!" Parker yelled.

"Why would we go to the opera, Booth?" Brennan asked.

"How about we go grocery shopping?" Booth suggested.

"I hate grocery shopping!" Parker whined.

"And we have plenty of groceries," Brennan added. "I don't understand why you're suggesting activities that are unnecessary."

"Bones, I'm just…"

"I got this one, dad," Parker interrupted. "He's just being funny, Dr. Bones. He knows I don't like those things."

"Oh. So, you're teasing him because it's fun?" Brennan wondered.

"Yeah, something like that," Booth answered.

"Well, in that case…" Brennan smiled, feeling rather smug with herself. She thought she had a handle on the little game they were playing. "Why don't we go to a medical lecture?"

"Children's museum it is," Booth said.

Both he and Parker laughed.

"Should I go get the museum pass, dad?" Parker asked.

"Sure bud. It's in the drawer next to the refrigerator."

Parker jumped off the bed and was halfway to the door when he stopped and turned to look at Brennan and Booth.

"We'll have to tell the people at the museum you're getting married," Parker said.

"Why?" Booth asked.

"Because they always make you show your license when you show them the pass."

"And?" Booth prompted, trying to figure out where this conversation was going.

"And after you get married, Bones will change her license so they will have to change the pass."

"Why would I change my license?" Brennan questioned.

"You're going to have to change your license when you change your last name. After you get married, your last name will be Booth, just like me and dad. So, you'll have to change your license and then you'll have to get the people at the museum to change your name on the pass so we can go to the museum," Parker explained.

"You don't have to worry about that, Parker," Booth said. "Why don't you go use the bathroom and grab a snack before we go?"

"I don't have to pee and I'm not hungry," Parker argued.

"And as soon as we get to the museum you're going to ask me to take you to the bathroom and beg me to buy you French fries at the snack bar," Booth said. "So, go use the bathroom and grab a granola bar."

Parker huffed. "I don't..."

"Do it or we're not going to the museum," Booth countered.

"Fine."

Parker stormed off. They could hear his loud, stomping footsteps down the stairs. Brennan stood up.

"Maybe you should take your own advice," Brennan said. She began walking towards the door.

"What's that?"

"You and Parker are very similar. Any time we go somewhere, the first thing you do is check to make sure the cafeteria has fries. Then you complain until you get to eat them."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is," Brennan said, smiling. She walked out the door. Booth scrambled off the bed and followed after her. He caught up to her right at the top of the stairs, hooked his arm around her waist, and pulled her towards him. Her back hit his chest hard. She playfully tried to struggle to get away from him, but didn't really put up a fight. He nuzzled the side of her neck. She arched her neck and closed her eyes, letting him have his way with her.

"I don't expect you to do it," Booth whispered against his ear.

"Considering Parker is expecting us to take him to the museum, I don't think now would be an appropriate time to have intercourse, Booth."

"That's not what I meant by it."

He took her hand and turned her around so that she was facing him.

"Then what did you mean?" Brennan asked, pressing her forehead against his.

"I meant…I don't expect you to change your name."

"What?"

"When we get married. I don't expect you to take my name."

"I never considered taking your name."

"Oh…ok then."

"I am a very well-known professional, Booth. It would be irrational for me to change my name at this point in my career. Not to mention that the changing of a woman's last name when she marries also is an indicator of her changing ownership from her father to her husband, which I do not believe in. It's a very outdated custom in our culture."

"Well, I am glad that's settled," Booth said. From the moment has asked her to marry him, Booth knew deep down that there was no chance Brennan would have taken his last name, but hearing it from her mouth made it official. He wasn't angry, but he couldn't help but be disappointed.

"Dad!" Parker yelled from somewhere downstairs.

"We're coming!" Booth yelled back. Brennan leaned in to kiss him, but he let go of Brennan's hand and stepped away.

"Are you ok?" Brennan asked.

"Yeah."

Booth walked down the stairs, leaving Brennan alone.

Author's Note: So, this chapter was supposed to be part of the last chapter, but apparently I am incapable of writing short scenes so I had to split it into two chapters. With that being said, I hope you liked it. Just to give you a heads up, I am going on vacation for a week so won't be posting for a little while. Stay with me, though because I promise there's a lot more to come! Thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Monday

8:57 AM

Brennan turned on the computer in her office and sat down at her desk. She shuffled through the mail that had come in over the weekend. Having nothing important, she set it aside and opened her e-mail. As she scanned through the digital messages, she heard the sound of high heels quickly heading towards her. Brennan looked up just in time to see Angela practically running into her office.

"So?" Angela asked, her eyes lit up like she was excited about something.

"So…what?" Brennan replied.

Angela looked at Brennan's left hand and opened her mouth wide. There was no ring. Angela crossed her arms over her chest, obviously unhappy. She wasn't sure what went wrong with Booth's proposal, but obviously something did. Either Booth lost his nerve and didn't ask Brennan to marry him or Brennan had said no. Either way, Angela was not happy. She had spent a long time helping Booth plan his special night and she wanted the payout.

"How was your date on Saturday?" Angela questioned.

"It was lovely."

"Lovely? That's all you have to say?"

"Booth and I had a very nice evening."

Angela sat down on the couch and propped her feet up on the coffee table. Hearing that Brennan and Booth were not engaged was not how she wanted to start her morning. She wanted to come right out and ask Brennan if Booth had proposed, but she couldn't do that. If Booth hadn't proposed, she'd be spoiling the surprise.

"So…nothing exciting happened, then?" Angela probed.

"Well, Booth did have the entire Lincoln Memorial reserved for us."

"Yeah, sweetie, I know. I'm the one who helped him set it up."

"Then I guess I should say thank you."

"That's not what I was getting at!" Angela exclaimed. She threw her hands up in the air and huffed. She stood up from the couch and began to stomp off for the door.

"Oh…and Booth and I are getting married," Brennan added before Angela could make it completely out of the room.

Angela turned on the spot.

"What did you say?"

"I said Booth and I are getting married. He proposed."

Angela's jaw dropped. She marched over to Brennan's desk and poked her finger at her.

"You were messing with me!" She accused. "You knew I was trying to find out whether or not Booth proposed and you avoided the question!"

"If I recall," Brennan said with a smug smile. "You didn't actually ask me that question."

Angela put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I taught you too well."

"Booth says I'm getting much better at teasing."

"I'll bet." Angela went back over to the couch and sat. She patted the cushion next to her. "Come on."

"What?"

"Come sit on the couch and spill."

"Spill what?"

"The details, Brennan. I want the details."

"Why can't I tell you from here?"

"Because that's no fun. Now come here." Brennan slid her chair away from her desk and joined Angela on the couch. "So, how did he do it?"

"Do what?"

"Propose, Brennan. How did he propose? You know, what did he say? Did he get down on one knee? Were you crying? Was he crying?"

"That was an awful lot of questions."

"Brennan!"

"Yes, he got down on one knee. He was very eloquent and yes, I did cry a little. It was a very nice moment."

"Nice?"

"Yes, nice."

"And you agreed? Just like that? You agreed to marry him?"

"Yes."

"Wow."

"You seem surprised."

"Well, Bren, considering we all know your views on marriage, I am a little surprised."

"Booth asked me to trust him. That's what I'm doing."

Angela could feel tears beginning to well in her eyes. She couldn't help it. After so many years of watching Booth and Brennan dance around each other, knowing that they were finally together made her tear up.

"Are you upset?" Brennan asked.

Angela leaned over and hugged her. "No, sweetie. I'm just happy for you. I'm very happy for both of you."

"So they're happy tears?"

"Yes."

"Happy tears are good."

"I just have one question," Angela said, wiping at her tears. "Where's the ring?"

"I left it at home," Brennan answered.

"You…what?"

"I left it at home. It's not practical to wear it to work."

"Does Booth know that you're not wearing it?"

Brennan shook her head. "I don't think so. He left before me this morning. Although, I don't know why it matters."

"Oh, sweetie, it matters."

"Why?"

Brennan's cell phone rang. She went over to her desk and pulled her phone out of her bag.

"Brennan," she answered.  
"We've got a dead body," Booth said.

"Text me the address."

"You might want to bring Cam. This one's got flesh. Bring Hodgins too. Body's been outdoors for a long time."

"Be there as soon as we can," Brennan replied.

She hung up the phone and put it back in her bag.

"Was that Booth?" Angela asked.

"Yes. We've got a case," Brennan answered.

"Boy, you two sure know how to sweet talk over the phone."

"This is work, Angela."

Brennan began to gather all of the materials she knew she would need out in the field.

"I know, but a simple good morning honey would have been nice."

"Booth doesn't call me honey." Angela rolled her eyes. "Can you get Dr. Saroyan and Dr. Hodgins, please? Booth requested them as well."

"How come nobody requests me?" Angela asked as she stood up.

"Would you like to join us, Angela? I'm sure we can use your expertise."

"Trudging through some gross crime scene? No thank you, sweetie. I'll be here when you're done." She began to walk out of the room. "Oh, and congratulations." She winked at Brennan before going off to find Cam and Hodgins.

10:16 AM

Standing at the edge of a forest, Booth heard a car pull up to the scene. He looked over his shoulder and saw Brennan sitting in the passenger seat of Cam's car. Cam was driving. Hodgins was in the back. Booth excused himself from the police officer he was talking to and approached the car. He opened Brennan's door.

"Hi," he said as she got out of the car. She was wearing her usual blue, Jeffersonian jumpsuit. Booth couldn't explain it, but it was incredibly sexy.

"Hi."

As Cam and Hodgins got out of the car, they gave each other a knowing glance. Even though Booth and Brennan remained professional at work, it was obvious that something had changed between them. Even the way they looked at each other had changed.

"What have we got?" Cam asked.

Booth tore his eyes away from Brennan to look at Cam. He pointed towards the trees.

"Two teenagers found a human head in the middle of the woods."

"A head?" Brennan questioned as she pulled on a pair of latex gloves.

"Cadaver dogs found the rest of the body a couple hundred yards away," Booth answered.

"Is the rest in one piece?" Cam asked.

"As far as we can tell, yes," Booth replied. "Looks like the body's been out here for a while, though. There's not much left."

"Any bugs?" Hodgins asked excitedly.

"Oh yeah, there are bugs," Booth answered.

"Well, let's get started," Brennan said.

Booth led them to the edge of the woods. Other police officers were around, taking notes and discussing the corpse. One young officer was on the side of the road vomiting. Booth didn't envy him. They walked into the forest. The trees grew denser as they continued on their way.

"Watch your step," Booth said as the ground became uneven with roots and rocks.

As they approached the crime scene, a foul order filled the air. Booth put his hand to his nose, trying to mask the smell. To Brennan, Cam, and Hodgins, the smell barely registered. They were used to awful smells. All four of them ducked under the yellow crime scene tape that surrounded the victim. Brennan and Cam kneeled next to what barely looked like a human body. As Booth had told him, the body was headless. Although some of the flesh still clung to the bones, most of it had been removed. It was just a matter of figuring out whether it had been removed by animals in the forest or by someone. The body was badly decomposed. Maggots and other bugs crawled over it.

"Definitely male," Brennan stated. "Late thirties. About 185 centimeters." She looked closely at his right knee. "He had a right knee replacement. I would say it was fairly new when he died."

"That's rare for a person so young to have a knee replacement, isn't it?" Booth asked.

"It's less common," Brennan answered.

"We could be looking for an athlete of some kind then," Booth suggested. "Or someone whose profession causes a lot of wear and tear on the knees."

"Based on the decomposition," Cam added, "I'd say the body's been out here for at least three months. Maybe more."

Hodgins scooped one of the maggots off the chest cavity with a pair of tweezers and held it up.

"These guys should be able to give us a more accurate time of death once I can get them to the lab," Hodgins said as he put the maggot into a plastic jar.

"The head was removed after the victim was killed," Brennan said.

"I guess we can rule out decapitation as cause of death then," Booth responded. He hung back, letting the experts do their jobs. "Can you tell how the head was…severed?"

"It was a clean cut," Brennan explained. "My guess would be a blade of some kind. I'll know more when we can get the body back to the lab."

"There should be enough flesh for me to do a tox screen and get DNA," Cam said.

"Can I see the head?" Brennan asked.

Booth nodded. "Follow me."

Brennan stood up. Leaving Cam and Hodgins behind to continue investigating the body, Brennan followed Booth through the woods. They came to another area sectioned off with yellow tape. In the middle was a skull, completely devoid of skin. As she did before, Brennan stooped down by the head. She picked it up carefully and looked at it. Booth watched her for several minutes. He couldn't help but admire her.

"This head doesn't belong to that body," Brennan stated.

"What?"

"The vertebrate doesn't match, the head isn't the right size. This head was gnawed off . It wasn't a clean cut."

"Wait…did you say gnawed?"

"Yes. Sharp teeth. Looks like an animal of some kind. Hodgins should be able to tell us more."

"So…"

"It's not the same person."

"Then, we've got two dead bodies?"

"Looks that way."

"Ok, I'll have the dogs keep looking."

Booth went to talk to one of the officers.

"Booth!" Brennan shouted after him.

"I know, don't let them compromise the remains. Got it, Bones."

She smiled as he walked off. Brennan went back to the body where Cam and Hodgins were finishing collecting evidence.

"We're looking for a second body," Brennan announced. "The head didn't belong to the body."

"Are you sure?" Cam asked. Brennan gave her a look. "Right, of course you're sure." Cam stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Alright, well we'll bring this all back to the Jeffersonian."

"Make sure nobody…" Brennan began to say.

"Compromises the remains. We know, Dr. B," Hodgins finished.

Content that everything was under control, Brennan walked out of the forest in search of Booth. She found him standing by his car, on his cell phone.

"Yeah, thanks," Booth said. "I'll be in touch."

Booth hung up the phone.

"What was that all about?" Brennan asked.

"I've got an agent running missing persons reports for men in their late thirties who have been reported missing in the last three to six months."

"Cam should be able to get DNA."

"Yeah, but if he's not in our database, maybe we'll get a hit off of missing persons. I've got the dogs combing the rest of the forest to try to find a second body."

"And a second head," Brennan reminded him.

"Right."

Brennan took off her gloves and threw them into a garbage nearby. She reached for some hand sanitizer out of her bag and rubbed it into her hands.

"So…lunch?"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "Only you could think about food after seeing that."

"Hey, at least I'm not the one who had my hands on the dead body." Booth reached for her hand to kiss it when he noticed something missing from her ring finger. "Where's your ring?" He asked.

"What?"

"Your engagement ring. Where is it?"

"At home," Brennan answered.

"What's it doing at home?"

"I don't understand your question."

"Why aren't you wearing your ring, Bones?"

"I left it at home this morning. As you pointed out, I do spend a fair amount of time with my hands in dead bodies. I thought it only logical to leave the ring at home. That, and I've found that rings tend to rip latex gloves, which could compromise the remains. Not to mention…"

"Bones, people don't just leave their engagement rings at home."

"Why not?"

"Because they just don't! When someone gives you an engagement ring, you wear it so that everybody else knows that you're engaged."

"I don't see why everyone needs to know we're engaged. We can certainly tell the people we would like to tell that we're engaged, but…"

"You just don't get it!" Booth yelled.

"What I don't understand is why you're angry."

He clenched his jaw. "I'm angry because you're not wearing your ring."

"Why is this is so important to you?"

"Because it is, Bones! Because it is! I gave you that ring as a symbol of our love…and you just take it off and leave it at home as if it means nothing!"

"I don't need a symbol of my feelings for you, Booth. I don't know why you're so upset."

"Of course you don't! You never do!"

Cam and Hodgins emerged from the woods.

"Uh-oh," Hodgins said as he saw Booth and Brennan both arguing.

"Work or personal stuff?" Cam asked.

Hodgins took a moment to look at them. He couldn't hear what they were arguing about, but he was trying to read their body language.

"Ten bucks says it's work," Hodgins answered.

"You're on."

They both walked over to Brennan and Booth. They immediately stopped arguing. The look on Booth's face was not a happy one.

"Any word on a second body?" Hodgins asked.

"Not yet," Booth replied.

"It's possible that the second body isn't here at all," Cam said. "What do you think, Booth?" He didn't answer. "Booth?"

"What?"

"Do you think they'll find the second body in the woods?" Cam asked again.

"I think women who are engaged should wear their engagement rings." He walked over to his SUV. "Call me if you find anything." He got in and drove off.

"Well, that was insightful," Cam remarked.

"Booth apparently is upset that I'm not wearing my engagement ring, which I don't understand. It's just a ring."

"Wait…what?" Cam said. Hodgins stifled a laugh. Angela had told him Booth's entire proposal plan. He wasn't shocked at all to discover that they were engaged. "You're getting married?"

Brennan nodded. "Are we ready to go?"

Cam was speechless. Brennan got into the car.

"Did you know about this?" Cam asked Hodgins.

"Angela told me he was going to ask her."

"And she accepted?"

Hodgins shrugged. "She's a changed woman."

Brennan unrolled the car window. "What are we waiting for?"

Hodgins gave Cam a knowing smile and was about to get into the car when Cam spoke.

"You owe me ten dollars, Dr. Hodgins." She put her hand out, expecting him to pay her.

"Come on, Dr. S. We were just joking around."

"A deal's a deal."

Hodgins shook his head and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his wallet and handed Cam a ten dollar bill. She accepted it with a smile on her face. They both got into the car and headed for the Jeffersonian.

Author's Note: Thank you all for your patience while I was on vacation (which was amazing). As much as I love writing Booth and Brennan when they're happy, I also love writing them when they're arguing. I hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for reading.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Monday

1:37 PM

Angela found Brennan in the middle of the lab, hunched over the skull that had been found. The skull had been cleaned so that it was almost pure white. Brennan was going over it inch by inch with a magnifying glass, looking for any signs of trauma. She knew she could have Angela make a 3-D model of the skull and look at it on the computer, but sometimes she enjoyed the simplicity of investigating using just her magnifying glass. She was trying to find cause of death having only the head, which was proving to be very difficult.

"Find anything?" Angela asked as she climbed the platform.

The remains of the other body were laid out on a table next to where Brennan was standing. As Angela passed it, she crinkled her nose. No matter how many dead bodies were brought into the lab, Angela knew she would never get used to it. It wasn't normal for a dead body just to be lying in the middle of the room.

"I have determined that the cause of death was not cranial," Brennan answered. "I won't be able to determine cause of death without a body."

"I finished the reconstruction."

Angela showed Brennan her sketchpad. Based on the structure of the skull, Angela had created a pencil drawing of what the victim might have looked like when he was alive. Having no idea what his hair looked like, she had drawn him several times with different hair styles. She flipped through the pages for Brennan.

"Have you shown Booth?" Brennan asked.

"I would have, but I haven't seen him," Angela answered. She knew she could have just e-mailed Booth the sketches, but Hodgins had told her what had happened at the crime scene and she wanted to find out what was going on. "Have you?"

"No," Brennan replied.

"You two didn't get lunch?"

"No."

"Why?"

Brennan shrugged and moved over to the beheaded body on the metal table beside her. She knew Cam was running DNA as well as toxicology reports on the victim. Hodgins was already analyzing several of the maggots on the victim as well as several hairs that were found on his body.

"We were both busy," Brennan answered, even though she knew it wasn't completely the truth.

"Sweetie, Booth always finds time for lunch whether he's busy or not. You two had a fight, didn't you?"

Brennan sat down at one of the nearby computers and brought up some of the x-rays from the body. Cam had asked that they not clean the bones quite yet. She wanted to finish her exam before she lost the flesh.

"We had a…disagreement."

"It was about the ring, wasn't it?"

"How did you know that?"

"Because he's a man, Brennan. Booth wants you to wear the ring."

"It's practical for me to wear it at work."

"That may be true, but engagement rings tell every other man around that you're taken. Booth wants everyone to know that you belong to him."

"I don't belong to Booth."

"Well, I know that and, somewhere deep down inside, so does Booth, but he's still a man."

"That logic doesn't make any sense."

"That's because it's not logical."

"I don't understand."

Angela sighed. "Do you want to make Booth happy?"

"Of course I do."

"Then just wear the ring."

"As I've said, it's not practical to wear it at work."

"Then compromise."

"In my experience, when two people compromise, it means neither party gets what they want. It's not a very effective way to accomplish anything."

Angela shook her head. Sometimes it was impossible to get through to Brennan. Hodgins walked up to the platform, holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"According to our maggot friends, our victim was dumped in that forest fifteen weeks ago," he said, showing Brennan the paper. "Those hairs we found belonged to a raccoon, fox, and muskrat, all native to the area."

"So, nothing having to do with how he was murdered?" Brennan asked.

"Nope. I take it you haven't found cause of death yet?"

"No obvious signs of trauma. No gunshot wound, no stab marks. Without the head, I can't check for head trauma. Cam needs to finish her report so I can take a look at the bones."

"I'll send these sketches to Booth. Maybe we can at least get an ID on the skull," Angela said.

Brennan's cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and looked at the text message.

'Body was found. No head. Two miles North.'

"They found another body," Brennan said out loud. "Booth thinks it belongs to our skull."

"Where?"

"Two miles from where we found the skull."

"I'll get my things," Hodgins said. He scurried off, a little too excited to go back out to the field.

"Booth isn't swinging by to pick you up?" Angela asked.

Brennan looked down at her phone. There was no other message.

"I'm perfectly capable of driving myself."

Brennan headed straight for her office. She tried to convince herself that it didn't matter to her whether or not he offered to pick her up. As she had told Angela, she was perfectly capable of driving herself. She didn't need Booth to pick her up. But, it was the fact that he hadn't even offered to pick her up that bothered her.

Trying to push it from her mind, Brennan gathered her bag and walked out to the parking garage.

3:09 PM

Brennan and Hodgins pulled up to the crime scene. It looked almost identical to the first they were at. They were surrounded by woods that were currently being occupied by dozens of police officers. Brennan saw Booth standing at the edge of the woods. Unlike last time, he didn't walk up to the car to greet her. Brennan and Hodgins got out of the car and walked over towards Booth.

"What have we got?" Brennan asked in a monotone voice. She didn't even look at Booth as she approached him. She just walked right by him and into the woods. Booth and Hodgins began to follow her.

"If you read the text message I'd sent you, you'd know," Booth answered coldly. He still could not get the fight they had earlier out of his head. He glanced down at her hand and noticed she still wasn't wearing her ring. He began to walk even faster.

Brennan stood back, letting him get ahead of her. If he was going to be angry, she could be angry too. Hodgins looked from Booth to Brennan. He could sense a heaviness in the air between them. At the earlier crime scene, every time they looked at each other it was like they were flirting. This time, they acted like strangers.

As Brennan trudged forward, her foot caught on a root. She dropped her bag and stumbled forward. Booth heard her stumble. He turned and immediately ran back to her. Just as she tripped, he caught her arm, steadying her.

"You ok?" He asked.

Brennan yanked her arm away. "I'm fine. Why don't you worry about yourself?" Brennan pointed to Booth's shoes. He was standing in several inches of mud, his black shoes caked with dirt. Booth stepped backwards, shaking the mud off his shoes.

Hodgins picked up Brennan's bag and handed it to her. She continued forward, more determined than ever, leaving Booth behind. Nobody spoke until they found the body. As Booth had told them, it had no head. It was even more badly decomposed than the first one. All that was left was the bones. It was as if the body had been picked clean. As Brennan began to investigate the body, Hodgins began collecting his usual samples.

"This body is male," Brennan reported. "Sixties." She carefully looked at the spine where the head was severed. "There are bite marks on the spine. The size of the head matches the body. This body matches the skull we found."

"You're sure?" Booth questioned.

She narrowed her eyes in anger. "I wouldn't say it if I wasn't sure."

"He's been out here a lot longer than our first vic," Hodgins said. "I'd say just about a year."

Brennan continued her examination. She looked down the body, but stopped when she came to the stomach.

"Our victim suffered from a gunshot wound to the abdomen," Brennan stated. "Several gunshot wounds, by the looks of it. Most likely it's our cause of death. The shooter was at least fifteen yards away." She pointed to the right. "If you have your men look in that direction, they may find some casings."

Hodgins looked at the wounds she was pointing to.

"Bullet holes are small," Hodgins stated. "My guess would be a hunting rifle. It may have been a hunting accident."

"We don't guess, Dr. Hodgins. We leave that up to the FBI." She glared in Booth's direction. He ignored her snide remark.

"Ok, so we've got a man who maybe was involved in a hunting accident. How does his head get two miles away?" Booth asked.

"Coyote," Hodgins answered. The bite marks we found at the base of the skull match the bite marks of a coyote. It's not unlikely that they gnawed off the head and took it home with them."

"Still doesn't explain our first body," Booth said.

Satisfied that she was done with her examination, Brennan stood up.

"We're done here. Wrap everything up and bring it to the Jeffersonian."

"That's it?" Booth asked.

"We can't do everything for you, Booth. You do have to do some investigating on your own," Brennan stated coldly.

"And if you squints could get us information faster, I'd be able to investigate better."

"Maybe you would prefer someone else's expertise on this case," Brennan stated.

Without looking at Booth, she stormed away towards the car.

Hodgins looked at Booth and opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't," Booth said, cutting him off. "Just don't."

He shoved his hands in his pocket and stormed off in the opposite direction of Brennan.

11:44 PM

Booth was lying on his back in bed, staring at the ceiling. He had been lying like that for over an hour, unable to sleep. He glanced at his cell phone on the bedside table, hoping that it would start ringing. It didn't ring, just like it hadn't rung all afternoon or night. He hadn't heard from Brennan since she left the crime scene. Even though he knew she was most fine, he couldn't help but be worried. It wasn't like them to not talk to each other for that long.

As he had spent the day going through the evidence that the Jeffersonian had sent over and searching through missing persons databases, Booth replayed the argument he and Brennan had in his head. He realized that he had been overly harsh. Sometimes he had to remind himself that Brennan wasn't like other women. He should have just been happy with the fact that she agreed to marry him and not worry about the symbolism of an engagement ring.

Booth was about pick up his phone and dial her number when he heard the front door open and close. He breathed a sigh of relief. He listened as he heard footsteps walking up the stairs. The bedroom door creaked open. He looked over at her as she entered the room.

"Hi," he said, sitting up.

"Hi."

She walked right into the bathroom and shut the door. Booth knew that was what he deserved. He got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom. He knocked lightly on the door.

"Bones," he called out.

"I'm going to take a shower and go to bed."

"Can we talk?"

He knew he could have just opened the door. He hadn't heard it lock. But, he wanted to tread lightly. He didn't want to start another argument.

"I had a very long day, Booth going over your evidence."

Booth could still sense the anger in her voice. He knew he deserved it.

"Please?"

He did not want them to go to bed angry with each other and he did not want to apologize through a door. The door opened slightly. Booth pushed it open the rest of the way. Brennan was standing in her light pink bathrobe. She walked over to the sink and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She pumped some lotion into her hands and began rubbing it on her arms.

"Now that she knows a better approximate age, Angela redid the sketch of our second victim," Brennan said. "Hodgins also matched the bullet wounds we found to…"

"I know. I got the reports." He took a breath. "I don't want to talk about work, Bones."

Booth took a seat on the edge of the bathtub as he watched her perform her nightly routine. She finished applying the lotion on her arms and moved on to her legs. She balanced her leg on the edge of the sink, put more lotion on her hand and started rubbing it in. Seeing her applying the floral scented lotion into her shapely legs completely turned him on.

"You're so beautiful," he said quietly.

Brennan looked over at him with some lotion still on her hands. Booth stood up and approached her. He rubbed his hands over hers and took some of the lotion into his own hands. He began to rub his hands up and down her leg, taking his time. It was a simple gesture, one that he reminded himself he wouldn't have even been able to do a year earlier. He continued to rub her legs long after the lotion was applied. It was his way of apologizing.

"So beautiful," he repeated.

"Booth…"

"I'm sorry, Bones."

Brennan looked him in the eye. She could see the sincerity in his face.

"I'm sorry too."

"If you don't want to wear the ring to work, Bones, I can accept that."

"Why don't we…compromise," she suggested.

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't like to compromise."

"I also don't like fighting."

He smiled. "Bones, we fight all the time."

"Not about important things."

"I'm sorry I was mean to you at the crime scene," he apologized.

"You were a little crass, but I was equally as crass."

Booth kissed her forehead on his spot. He wanted to remind her that it was only his.

"I wish I could take back what happened today."

"That's not possible."

"I know that, Bones." He put his hand on her hips and pulled her towards him until their bodies were pressed together. "Do you know why it's so important to me that you wear that ring?"

"Because it is a physical symbol our feelings for each other?"

"That and I want all those men who stare at you when you come walking in…when you're wearing that ridiculously sexy jumpsuit…" he nibbled on her earlobe. "To know that they can look, but can't touch."

"Nothing about that jumpsuit is sexy, Booth."

"Trust me. It has turned me on on more than one occasion so I can only imagine what the other guys are thinking."

Brennan laughed. "You know if any one of them tried to touch me, I'd break their nose."

"I know. That's sexy, too." His hand roamed her back. "Everything about you is sexy." He kissed a trail from her ear to her throat.

"We still haven't resolved our compromise," she reminded him, her hands tangling in his hair.

He momentarily stopped kissing her. "How's this for a compromise? I would appreciate it if you would wear the ring when we're not at work. But I understand why you don't want to wear it at work."

"And I understand why it's important to you for me to wear it," she said.

"So…we're agreed?"

"Yes."

"No more fighting?"

She leaned her forehead against his. "No more fighting." He was about to brush his lips against hers when she spoke. "Except at work."

He smiled.

"Deal."

They sealed their deal with a long kiss.

Author's Note: Thank you for all of the great reviews. I hope everyone liked the resolution to their fight. There will be more drama and romance to come so stay tuned!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Wednesday

12:12 AM

With the sun shining brightly above him, Booth rolled down his car window to let in some fresh air. The temperature was lingering just above seventy. It was one of those perfect days. Booth made a mental note to leave work early, grab Brennan, and spend some time outside while they could. There wouldn't be too many nice days left before the cold weather hit. Of course Booth knew he would only be able to get out of work early if he could get his errand done quickly and get back to work in time to finish everything he needed to do. He still had to look over the most recent report Hodgins had sent him about the maggots found on the first body found in the woods, not to mention he had a call to make to check a suspect's alibi. Even though he knew he had a lot to do, he needed to run his errand. It was important to him.

Booth pulled off the highway and, after a few more minutes of driving, he turned onto a densely populated side street. Booth pulled his car in front of the familiar apartment building. It was run-down with peeling paint and an overgrown lawn. Every time Booth saw it, it looked worse. Somehow, though, it was incredibly appropriate for who lived there.

Booth put the car in park and turned off the engine. He glanced up to look at the third story window. The window was open. That was a good sign. Booth hadn't bothered to call so he didn't even know if who he was looking for was even there. Booth took a deep breath. Even with the cool air coming in from the open window, he was beginning to sweat. He didn't know why he was so nervous.

As Booth reached for the door handle to open the door, his cell phone rang. He dug into his jacket pocket and took out his phone. He looked at the caller ID and smiled.

"Bones?" he said, drawing out her name.

"I have some new evidence on our case."

"Oh?"

"Based on the trajectory of the shots, we have determined that the shooter of our second body was between five foot nine and five foot eleven, which may narrow down your list of suspects," Brennan said.

"That will be useful."

"Angela has also created a reconstruction of the shooting. The shot came from several hundred yards away and considering the denseness of the trees, we are most likely looking at a hunting accident. Sweets suggested that the person who pulled the trigger most likely did not know the victim. Based on the bullets found in the body, Hodgins has determined that the weapon was a Marlin M444 5-shot rifle. I…"

"What are you wearing?" Booth interrupted with a smirk on his face. There was something about squint talk that never failed to excite him. And whenever Brennan talked about guns, it made him even more excited.

"What?"

"What are you wearing?"

"I don't see how that's relevant."

"Come on, Bones, just play along."

"You saw me this morning before I left for work. Logically, you should be able to conclude that I am wearing the same thing."

"Are you wearing your lab coat? Or one of those blue jumpsuits?"

"Why would I be wearing my jumpsuit when I am sitting in my office? You know I only wear those to crime scenes to keep from contaminating the evidence and to keep myself from getting…"

"You're no fun, you know that, Bones?"

"What part of this is fun?"

"Never mind."

"Would you like me to send you the reports or should I bring them to the diner when we meet for lunch?"

Booth looked down at his watch. He had been so all-consumed with the errand he needed to run, he had completely forgotten about their lunch plans.

"E-mail them to me," Booth answered.

A car drove by blasting loud rap music. Booth tried to quickly roll up his window, but he wasn't fast enough. He was supposed to be sitting at his desk working. He only hoped Brennan hadn't heard the noise through the phone.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Booth asked.

"That noise. It sounded like music. Where are you, Booth?"  
"Uh…nowhere."

"Are you at work?"

"Ah…" Booth couldn't think of what to tell her. He was never a good liar when it came to her.

"Because it doesn't sound like you're in your office."

"I'm not."

"Then where are you?"

"I'm…ah…driving."

"Isn't it a little early to be heading to the diner? I thought we said we'd meet at one."

"We did," Booth said. He sighed. "Look, Bones, I'm not on my way to the diner. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be able to make it to lunch."

"Did you get a lead on the case?"

"Not exactly."

"What's going on?"

"I'll…I'll tell you tonight." Booth only hoped he would have good news to tell her. "Speaking of tonight, I was thinking it's such a nice day that we could sightsee."

"Sightsee?"

"Yeah, you know grab some bad food from some bad street vendor and take a walk around the monuments after work."

"Sightseeing implies that you are seeing something that you don't see often. We see the monuments every day, Booth."

"Not on a night like this. Come on, it's a beautiful day."

"We're in the middle of a case."

"That doesn't mean we can't take a few hours off to enjoy ourselves."

"Although I agree that we do deserve a night off, why would you want to spend that night off eating food that you described as being bad?"

"Because eating bad food is part of the fun of DC. Come on, Bones. It'll be fun. What do you say?"

"Although I don't see how what you have described as being fun, I will accompany you."

"Good. I'll take a look at your reports and swing by the Jeffersonian to pick you up later."

"Are you sure you don't need my help with whatever you're doing, Booth?"

"No. I'll see you later. I love you, Bones."

Booth hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. He couldn't help but start processing some of the information Brennan had given him. They had already run a list of hunters who had permits for the area. Booth made a note to go back through the list and take off anyone who wasn't between five foot nine and five foot eleven. He sat in the car for nearly five minutes going over the new evidence when he remembered why he was sitting in the car in the first place.

With his palms beginning to sweat once more, Booth opened the door and got out of the car. He walked up the broken cement walkway to the front door. He stopped at the door and looked at the six different last names next to the door with a doorbell below each name. He hit the correct one and waited.

"Yeah?"

Booth heard the shout. He backed up a few steps and looked up at the open third story window. Brennan's father was poking his head out the window, looking at Booth.

"Hey Max," Booth said.

"Booth, what a surprise. Is Temperance with you?"

"No."

"Is she ok?" Max asked with panic in his voice.

"She's fine."

"Are you here to arrest me? Because I assure you, whatever you think I've done, I didn't do it."

"I'm not here to arrest you, Max. Can we talk?"

"Sure. I'd…ah…buzz you up, but it's broken." Max poked his head back in the room and looked around. He looked back out the window at Booth. "I'll come down there."

Max disappeared. Booth knew his apartment was most likely a mess and that's why he didn't invite Booth up. He couldn't understand how a father and daughter could be so different. Booth stood with his hands on his hips, waiting for Max, trying to keep his breathing under control. Within a minute, the door opened and Max appeared. Booth reached out and shook his hand.

"I know I should have called but I was in the neighborhood so I thought I'd drop by," Booth said.

"In the neighborhood?"

"Well, about twenty miles from the neighborhood."

"You ok, Booth? You seem nervous."

"Everything's fine."

"You're sure Temperance is ok?"

"She's fine, Max. I just talked to her."

"So, why the visit? Not that I'm not happy to see you, Booth, but when you stop by to see me unannounced, it makes me think you're trying to charge me with some crime."

"I told you I'm not here to arrest you. I…I have something to ask you."

"Ok, shoot."

Booth took a moment to compose his thoughts. He had practiced what he was going to say, but suddenly couldn't remember any of it. No matter how old he was, talking to his girlfriend's father was never an easy thing.

"You know I love Bones very much," he finally said.

"Yeah, took you two long enough to figure that out."

"Why does everyone always bring that up?"

"Because it's the truth. Temperance had to come close to death for you two to…"

"I get it," Booth said, cutting him off. He did not like to think about the fact that he almost lost her. "I love Bones. I would do anything for her. I'd kill for her. I'd die for her.

"I know that."

"I came here to ask you…I…I would like your permission to marry your daughter."

Max raised his eyebrows, completely shocked. Booth expected him to say something. Instead, Max began laughing out loud. He put his hand on Booth's shoulder.

"Good luck with that, son," he said through his continued laughter.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?"

"I know my daughter, Booth. As much as it pains a father to say it, my daughter is not the marrying kind. You wasted a trip out here. I know you and Temperance love each other. I'm as happy as anyone that you two are together, but as I said...good luck."

Max began walking back towards the apartment building, still chuckling.

"She already said yes," Booth said.

Max stopped dead and turned around.

"What?"

"I already asked her and she said yes."

"My Temperance?" Booth nodded. "You proposed to Temperance and she said yes?"

"Yes."

Max shook his head in disbelief. "Wow. My daughter, getting married. I can't believe it." As the information sunk in, Max wiped a tear from his eyes. He looked down at the ground, trying to hide his emotions from Booth. It took a lot to make Max cry. He was a hardened man, but thinking about seeing his daughter walk down the aisle brought tears to his eyes.

"Does that mean I have your permission?" Booth asked.

Max collected himself and looked back up at Booth.

"Yes, of course. Of course you do. But why…why did you come here to ask my permission if you already asked her?" Max asked.

"Because I knew if I asked you first and Bones found out, she'd use one of her kung-fu moves on me and break my nose."

Max nodded. "You know her well."

"Yes, I do."

Max outstretched his right hand. Booth shook his hand.

"You're a good man, Booth. I couldn't have asked for anyone better for my daughter. I'm happy for you both."

"Thank you." Booth glanced down at his watch. "I…ah…I gotta get back to work. We're in the middle of this big case."

"Of course. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but I wanted to say thanks. Thank you for coming here to…ask me. It means a lot."

Booth nodded. "You're welcome." Booth began to walk towards his car.

"Oh, and Booth?" Booth turned. "If you hurt her, I'll kill you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

Booth got into his car, smiling.

7:41 PM

The sun was gone by the time Booth and Brennan strolled past the Washington Monument. The temperature was still holding in the mid sixties, making it cool, but comfortable. Booth shoved the last bite of his foot long hotdog into his mouth. Brennan rolled her eyes at him. She picked at her half-eaten salad, not really interested in finishing it.

"I can't believe you picked a salad," Booth said.

"I don't eat meat."

"Yeah, but a salad from a street vendor? Who does that?"

"I don't know why we couldn't go to a restaurant for dinner."

"Because it's DC and it's a beautiful night. You don't go to a restaurant on a nice night."

"That doesn't make sense."

"You're right, but I don't care."

Booth pressed his lips against hers. He let himself indulge in it for a minute before pulling away. It felt good kissing her in public. They continued to walk. Brennan threw the rest of her salad away in a nearby garbage. Booth reached for her hand. They walked together towards the Lincoln Memorial.

"So, are you ever going to tell me where you were today?" Brennan asked.

Booth nodded. He knew it was time to tell her the truth.

"I went to see your father."

"What? Why? You don't think he had anything to do with our case, do you because my father hasn't…"

Booth stopped walking. He took her other hand in his.

"No, Bones. I don't suspect your father of anything. I went there to ask him something."

"Ask him what?"

"I went there to ask him for his permission to marry you. I know you don't believe in tradition and I know the whole significance behind a man asking his potential fiance's father his permission to marry is probably sexist and old-fashioned, but I needed to do this, Bones. Even though you already said yes, I needed to know that I had his blessing."

"And did he give it to you?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Brennan continued to walk the familiar path towards the Lincoln Memorial. Booth was right, it was a perfect night for a walk. Stunned, Booth stood still for a minute. Her reaction wasn't exactly what he had expected. He ran to catch up with her.

"That's it? That's all you're going to say."

"I may not understand all the traditions associated with marriage, Booth, but this was obviously important to you. Therefore, I am glad he approved."

"Me too."

"What would you have done if he hadn't approved?"

"What?"

"If my father hadn't given you his blessing. What would you have done?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. I knew he'd say yes."

"You couldn't have known that."

"Yes I did."

"How?"

"Because from the moment I met your father, he wanted us to get together. Your father loves me."

"You've arrested my father on several occasions. I don't think he loves you."

"You're right. Do you love me?" He asked.

"Why are you asking me a question you already know the answer to?"

"Because I like to hear you say it."

Brennan stopped. She turned to face Booth.

"You know I love you."

"Good."

"Do you love me?"

"Why are you asking me a question you already know the answer to?" Booth teased.

"Because I like to hear you say it."

He leaned in close to her. His lips were barely inches from hers. "I love you."

Brennan pulled on the lapels of his shirt and kissed him hard. He reciprocated with equal ferocity. They were standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, lost in each other. Brennan's hand twisted in Booth's hair. His hand traveled down her back.

"Get a room," somebody mumbled as he passed by.

Slowly, they pulled apart. Brennan's cheeks were flushed, but she had a big smile on her face.

"What? Why are you smiling?" Booth asked.

"Because I know what that person meant."

"Oh yeah?"

"He believes we are in an inappropriate place to be sharing such physical intimacy and that we should go somewhere where no one else can see us."

"That is correct."

"Do you know how I knew what he meant?" Booth didn't answer. "Don't you remember, Booth?"

Booth nodded. "I remember." He looked back at the memorial. "We were standing right there. I told you I loved you."

"And I told you that I was willing to take the risk to be your partner."

"And then we kissed," Booth said.

"And then we kissed," Brennan repeated.

"And somebody told us to get a room."

"I wasn't ready then for that, but I do believe I am more than ready now."

"Oh yeah?"

Brennan pressed her lips against his once more. Booth wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yes. Let's get a room, Booth."

"As you wish."

He practically devoured her, no longer cared about the beautiful night or the sights of DC. All he cared about was the woman in his arms and getting her home before they both exploded.

Author's Note: Ok, so this chapter was totally unplanned. I've had this story finished for a while now, but when I went to go back and re-read what I thought was going to be chapter 14, I realized that the story was missing something. So, I decided to add a totally new chapter and this was the result. In case you didn't know (or remember), the last scene was in reference to the second to last chapter from _My Girl._ I hope you liked it. Chapter 15 should be up soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

1 Month Later

Wednesday

2:29 PM

Angela stood outside the dressing room, tapping her foot impatiently. Her arms were crossed over his chest. She looked down at her watch and huffed. They had been shopping for a wedding dress for hours. Angela had spent days begging Brennan to let her take her wedding dress shopping. Brennan had insisted that she didn't need to go dress shopping considering she and Booth hadn't even picked a date for their wedding, but Angela insisted that finding the perfect dress was part of being a bride. As she stood in the middle of the fourth bridal shop of the day, Angela was beginning to regret her persistence.

Brennan had tried on every dress imaginable. She had gone traditional with lace bodices and flowing skirts. She had gone modern with above the knee dresses. She had tried strapless, off the shoulder, and gowns with sleeves. She looked at dresses with empire waists, A-line dresses, and even those that looked like a mermaid. Brennan wasn't happy with anything. Angela was running out of patience. If she heard Brennan say one more time that it was inappropriate for her to wear white considering she hadn't been a virgin for a very long time, Angela was going to scream.

Angela began to pace back and forth. She was becoming bored. Brennan had been in the dressing room for a very long time. Angela heard a bang from inside the dressing room. She knocked on the dressing room door.

"You ok in there, Bren?" Angela asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"I'm fine."

"Going to come out any time soon?"

"I don't understand why this is so important."

"What?"

"Finding a dress."

"How many times do I have to remind you? You're getting married, Bren. The dress is pretty much the most important part."

"A white dress is very impractical. Not to mention that it's supposed to symbolize purity, which obviously does not apply to me. Booth and I are very sexually active and I…"

"I know, sweetie, but humor me.  
"I don't see how this is funny."

Angela shook her head. "Look, having a wedding is important to Booth."

"Which is the only reason why I let you convince me to take a day out of work to go shopping. I could be much more productive at work."

"I'm sure you could. Look, just try to stop being an anthropologist for a minute."

"That's impossible. It's what I do."

"I know that, sweetie. It's what you do, but try not to let it be who you are. For a minute, just stop thinking about the symbolism behind the dress and flowers and rings. Let your imagination run wild. Think about how beautiful you'll look coming down the aisle and think about the look in Booth's eye when he sees you. That's what you need to concentrate on. Just…be a normal girl for once."

There was a long pause. "Sometimes I wish it were that easy." Angela was surprised at her confession. It was usual for Brennan to admit her true emotions.

"We'll get you there, sweetie. It might take a while, but we'll get you there."

There was another pause. Angela began to wonder again what was taking so long.

"Hey Ang?" Brennan called out from inside the dressing room.

"Yeah?"

"How…how do you get this on?"

Angela rolled her eyes and pulled open the dressing room door. Brennan was standing in a white strapless bra and a slip that made her look like she was wearing a hoopskirt. She was holding the wedding dress that she was supposed to be trying on in a crumpled ball in her hands.

"Angela!" Brennan exclaimed.

"You asked for my help. I'm here to help."

Angela took the dress from Brennan's hands and began to straighten it out. She realized that Brennan had managed to turn it inside out. Angela put the dress back the way it was meant to be and held it out.

"Step in," Angela commanded.

"What?"

"Step in."

"Shouldn't dresses go over one's head?"

"Just step in, sweetie."

Using the wall of the dressing room to balance her, Brennan stepped into the dress. Angela helped pull it over her hips and up her torso. She zipped the strapless dress in the back and turned to look at Brennan from the front. Brennan looked at herself in the mirror and immediately reached behind her to unzip the dress.

"Woah," Angela said. "Not so fast. I like this one."

"No," Brennan replied.

"It looks pretty."

It was a beautiful dress. The bodice was laced, the bottom puffed out by the slip Brennan was wearing underneath. Like almost every other dress, it looked perfect on Brennan. She would have looked good in any dress.

"This dress is meant for a young woman who believes that love is forever. It's meant for someone who believes in the fantasy of marriage, when in reality, marriage is…"

Brennan was cut off by the sound of her cell phone. She rummaged through the pockets of her coat, which was hanging on a hook in the dressing room.

"Saved by the ring," Angela muttered, silently thanking whoever was calling Brennan that she was not going to have to hear the end of Brennan's speech.

Brennan found her phone and answered it.

"Brennan," she said.

"Having fun with Angela?" Booth asked.

"I don't see how trying on dresses can constitute as a fun activity. In reality it's…"

"Bones?"

"Yes?"

"How soon can you be in my office?"

"Do we have a case?" She asked, an excited pitch to her voice.

"Just get here," he answered. "Oh, and Bones?"

"Yes?"

"I miss you."

She smiled. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Brennan hung up the phone and put it back in her jacket pocket.

"Let me guess…Booth," Angela said.

"How did you know?"

"Because he's the only one who can make you smile like that."

Brennan immediately stopped smiling. "I'm not smiling."

"And now you're blushing," Angela pointed out with a smirk on her face.

"I have to go meet Booth."

Brennan slung her coat over her arm. She opened the dressing room door and took a step out.

"Ah…sweetie? Dress."

Brennan looked down at what she was wearing. She turned her back to Angela. Angela knowingly unzipped it. Brennan went back into the dressing room. Within minutes she was back into her regular clothes. The dress was crumpled up on the floor.

3:15 PM

Booth felt a pressure headache coming on. There was no stopping it. The cause? One simple phone call. He should have seen it coming. He should have known that the phone call he had received minutes earlier was bound to happen. He had been denying it. He had hoped and prayed that it wouldn't happen. He couldn't lose her. Not as a lover. Not as a friend. Not as a partner. He wasn't sure how he'd function every day without her. More importantly, he wasn't sure how he was going to tell her. He knew she would be angry. He knew she would want to fix it. The only trouble was, he wasn't sure if it could be fixed.

As Booth thought about how he was going to break the news, Brennan strode into Booth's office. He looked up at her and immediately his headache lessened. She looked beautiful. Her red button down shirt and black, knee-length skirt accented every part of her body that he loved. Her hair was down, and slightly messy from trying on dresses all day. It was hard to concentrate on the important news he had to share when she looked like that.

"Hey," she said with a smile.

"Hey you." He offered her a fake smile. It was all he could muster.

She walked into the room and over to his desk. She leaned over and gave him a swift kiss on the lips. She sat down in one of the empty chairs across from him. As she crossed her legs, Booth wished they weren't sitting in his office. If they were anywhere else, he would have dragged her onto his lap and caressed her slender legs that he loved so much.

"So…do we have a case?" Brennan asked.

"Not exactly."

Brennan nearly pouted. They hadn't had a case since they had solved the case of the two bodies found in the woods. That had been almost two weeks earlier. Brennan was getting restless.

"Then what's going on?"

Booth opened his mouth to say one thing, but couldn't bring himself to say it.

"How was dress shopping?" He asked, taking the easy way out.

"It was fine. Although I still think it's irrational to think I should be wearing a white dress. Angela told me I need to stop looking at the symbolism and just enjoy myself."

"Maybe Angela's right."

Brennan shrugged. She took a good long look at Booth.

"You look pale. Is something wrong?"

He was about to tell her again, but again lost his nerve. It was becoming harder to tell her about the phone call than it had been to propose.

"The DA cut a deal with our hunting case," he stated.

"You mean the second body we found in the woods?"

"Yeah. Considering it was an accident, Mr. Reynolds, our shooter, only got ten years. Which is a lot less than what our other perp got."

"Duncan Cabret? The man who beheaded the victim we found in the woods?"

"Yeah. His trial was set to begin in a few weeks. I just heard that he gave his confession. He got life in prison without the possibility of parole. I think your report about the brutality of the beheading had a lot to do with that."

"I was just doing my job, Booth. We all were." Booth stood up and perched himself on the edge of his desk so he was facing Brennan. "But that's not why you asked me to come here, is it?"

He shook his head. "No."

She stood up and took a step towards him so they were only inches apart. She put her hands on his knees.

"Then what is it?"

"I got a call from Frank Harris. He's head of the human resources department at the FBI."

"What did he want?"

Booth took a deep breath.

"He wanted…he told me…they're terminating our partnership, Bones."

Brennan shook her head, thinking she misunderstood him. "What?"

"They want to assign me to a different partner and have you consult with another agent."

"Why?"

"Because FBI policy states that married couples can't work together as partners. They believe that two people who have feelings for each other can be unsafe and detrimental to the working environment."

"But…I don't work for the FBI so their policy shouldn't apply to us."

"I know. But you do work for the Jeffersonian, which works for the FBI. Everyone knows you come out into the field with me, Bones and that we work as partners."

Brennan began to pace the room. "But they didn't care that we were partners when we were just living together!"

"Well, when they heard that we are getting married, they decided to enforce the policy."

"This is illogical! It's obvious that we work very well together and that we are very successful at what we do."

"I know, Bones."

"Then why are they splitting us up?"

"Look, we're going to get the chance to convince them to let us stay together, but…"

"And what if they still want to split us up?"

"We'll work it out, Bones."

"That's not acceptable."

Brennan turned and headed for the door. Booth furrowed his brow. Telling her had gone over just as well as he expected. She was angry. So was he.

"Woah, where are you going?"

"To talk to Frank Harris."

Booth followed her to the doorway and put his hand on her arm. "It doesn't work that way, Bones. I've already scheduled a hearing where we can plead our case. We'll put together data about how successful we are together. You can make pie charts and bar graphs and dazzle them with your big words."

He caressed her hair. "And what will you dazzle them with?"

He smiled a goofy smile and she laughed. "We'll figure this out, Bones. I know we will."

She put her arms around him and hugged him. He tucked her head under his chin and rubbed her back soothingly. She had been afraid that someone would tell them they could no longer work together ever since they started a relationship. Booth had always convinced her that it would work out. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't so sure anymore.

"There is another solution," Brennan said quietly. Her voice was muffled against his chest.

"What?"

She pulled away from him so she could look into his eyes.

"I said there is another solution."

"What other solution?"

"We could not get married."

Author's Note: So, I couldn't help but stir up more drama. I live for the drama. Thank you for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Wedesday

3:28 PM

"We could not get married."

"What do you mean, not get married?" He asked, his teeth grinding.

"It's a logical solution."

"To not get married?"

Booth pulled himself out of their embrace and walked several feet away. Hearing her say what she was saying was not what he expected. Sure, he expected her to be angry, but he hadn't expected her to suggest they not get married. And yet, Booth knew he shouldn't have been surprised. He knew Brennan better than she knew herself. Brennan was a runner. When she was unsure of something, she ran. Booth knew her suggestion was the first step of the run.

"If we don't get married, then they can't enforce their policy," Brennan explained. "We can continue working together and living together and everything will work out."

"Everything will work out?"

"Yes. It's the most logical." Booth rubbed his face with his hand. He didn't know how to reply. He was completely stunned. "You look angry." He didn't reply. "Booth?"

"You tell me you don't want to get married and I'm supposed to be ok with that?"

"I didn't tell you I don't want to get married."

"Not in so many words, but that's what you implied."

Brennan walked towards him. "It's the most logical, Booth," she said.

He took several steps away from her. He just couldn't be near her at that moment. He was too angry.

"Logical! Screw logic, Bones!" He shouted. He paused, calming himself down. He took a deep breath. "I want to make a life with you. I want to raise a family with you."

"And we can do all of those things without being married. We were fine before we started arguing about engagement rings and buying a white dress and talking about getting married. Why can't we go back to that?"

"Because I want to be your husband, Bones!" Booth shouted. "And I want you to be my wife!"

"Having titles like husband and wife are unnecessary in today's society."

"So, now you're discrediting the sanctity of marriage."

"Yes," she answered simply.

"It's that easy for you, isn't it? Everything is just so black and white."

"Marriage is an archaic..."

"Don't, Bones! Just...don't!"

He looked out the door and noticed a small group of people that had suddenly gathered in the hallway. He realized that the entire floor could probably hear their argument. He closed his office door. There was no reason why everyone in his department needed to know their business.

"I'm sorry that you're so angry. I just think we need to think about this rationally and logically. If our objective is to continue working together, then it is obvious that we should end this engagement." She took off the engagement ring. "I would be happy to give you the ring back." She held it out.

"I don't want the ring back, Bones," Booth said.

"If we're no longer engaged, I don't see why I would continue to wear a ring that symbolizes engagement."

Having heard enough, Booth made a split second decision. He practically slammed the ring back on Brennan's finger before taking her by the hand. He opened the door and walked out of his office with her in tow.

"Booth, where are we..."

With his pressure headache worse than when he had started, Booth led her down the hallway and to the elevators. She started to ask him again where they were going. He silenced her with just one look. Booth knew if Brennan wanted to, she could easily have escaped his grasp. The fact that she didn't gave him a little hope.

Booth didn't let go of her hand until they were outside of Sweet's office. Neither of them had spoken. He was holding her hand tightly; not hurting her; but letting her know that he meant business. Booth knocked heavily on Sweets' door. A few seconds later, the door opened. Sweets was standing in front of them, not at all surprised to see them.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, nice to see you both." Booth brushed past him with Brennan in tow. He led them both over to the couch and they sat. "Come on in," Sweets said sarcastically.

"Fix this," Booth said.

Sweets sat in his usual chair across from them. "Excuse me?"

"Fix this."

"Before I agree to fix whatever this is, cell phones off."

"What?" Booth asked.

"Those are the rules from now on. No cell phones," Sweets stated.

"I don't even see why we're here," Brennan said. "We can certainly work through our argument on our own with our help."

Booth pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He put it on silent. "Fine no phones."

Both men looked at Brennan. "Dr. Brennan?"

She reluctantly took our her phone and turned down the ringer.

"Ok, now…fix this," Booth said.

"What exactly is this?" Sweets asked.

"This...us. Tell her that we should get married."

"I never said I didn't want to get married," Brennan piped in.

"No, you just suggested that we don't get married," Booth replied.

"I only suggested it in order to fix a problem."

"And what is the problem?" Sweets questioned, trying to keep up.

"I suggested we not get married so we can continue working together," Brennan answered.

"So, the FBI has decided to enforce their policy, huh?" Sweets asked.

"You knew about the policy?" Brennan asked, suddenly realizing that Booth knew more than he was letting on.

"Everyone knows about the policy, Dr. Brennan," Sweets added.

Booth glared at him. Brennan turned to Booth. "You knew that if we got married, we wouldn't be able to work together?"

"I was aware of the FBI policy, yes."

"Agent Booth, that wasn't really answering the question. In our sessions, we've discussed answering questions directly so as not to make our partner feel undermined." Booth glared at Sweets. "Would you like to answer the question that Dr. Brennan asked?"

"I had an idea that the FBI would sever our partnership. I was hoping that because Bones worked for the Jeffersonian and not the FBI directly that they would let it slide. Obviously, they're not."

"You knew we wouldn't be partners anymore," Brennan stated.

"No, Bones, I had an idea. That's not the same as knowing."

"So, even though you had an idea that we wouldn't be able to work together, you still chose to propose," Brennan accused.

Booth felt like he was talking in circles. They weren't accomplishing anything.

"Of course I still proposed, Bones! I'm not going to let my professional life dictate my personal one."

"Are you saying that you don't want to work with me anymore? Because you did tell me that you didn't want me as a partner not too long ago."

"I only told you that because you had just…we had…I didn't want to lose you, Bones." Booth shook his head, unsure of how everything had gotten so twisted. He went to Sweets so that Brennan could be told that marriage was a good thing. Instead, Booth was coming out as some kind of bad guy. "I can't lose you," he added softly.

Sweets looked at each of them. Booth looked defeated. Brennan looked angry.

"It's obvious you both feel strongly about working together and it's obvious that marriage is very important to you, Agent Booth."

"Yeah, well, that's the problem," Booth said. "It's only important to me, not to her."

"Being with you is important to me, Booth," Brennan replied.

"Yeah, but marriage isn't."

Brennan put her hand over his. "I can't change who I am, Booth. I can't change the fact that I don't believe in marriage as an institution."

"How do you feel about that, Agent Booth?" Sweets asked.

Booth thought about Sweet's question. He had always known Brennan's thoughts on marriage. He had hoped that he would be able to change her mind, but that wasn't the case. Nobody could change Brennan's mind unless she wanted her mind changed.

"I don't want to make her do something she doesn't want to do," Booth said.

"What would happen if Dr. Brennan decides she doesn't want to get married?" Sweets asked. He knew it was a difficult question, but it had to be done. They both needed to understand the consequences of what what was happening.

"Then we could work together and everything would go back to normal," Brennan answered.

Sweets looked over at Booth. "Is that what would happen, Agent Booth?" Booth didn't answer. "Would you still be in a romantic relationship if Dr. Brennan calls off the engagement?"

Brennan was taken aback. She had never considered that Booth would give her an ultimatum; either get married or the relationship was over. Booth looked at her. He could see the confusion in her eyes.

"I love you," he said, reassuring her. "I want to marry you."

"Answer Dr. Sweets' question, Booth," Brennan replied.

He shook his head. He wanted to be married to her more than he had wanted anything in his entire life. But he also couldn't live without her. Marriage or not, his heart would always belong to her.

"No. I want to marry you, Bones. I want to prove to you that marriage can be good and lasting and everything I know it can be, but I'm not willing to lose you over it. Our relationship wouldn't be over. It took use four years for us to get together. I'm never letting go."

Brennan's mind was running on overdrive. She always knew that she was an intelligent person. She could understand things that few others could. She was the best in her field. She could examine human remains and know things that nobody else could know. But she couldn't understand her heart. She couldn't understand the emptiness in her stomach. She couldn't understand why the thought of not marrying Booth suddenly hurt.

"I have to go," Brennan said as she stood up.

"Bones…" Booth said, reaching for her. She was just out of his reach.

"But we're in the middle of a very important session," Sweets replied.

"I'm sorry. I forgot that I…I…I just have to go."

As she made her way over to the door, Booth followed her. He put his hand on her shoulder.

"What's going on, Bones?"

"I just need time," she answered.

"Time for what?"

"Just…time. Please?" She looked up at him with pleading eyes. "I'll call you later."

He nodded. "Ok. I love you," he said.

"I know."

Brennan slipped out of the door. Booth couldn't help but feel like she was slipping away. He turned back to Sweets.

"How are you feeling right now, Agent Booth, after what just happened?"

"Like hell."

Booth left Sweets' office to find something that could relieve his headache.

8:52 PM

Brennan sat at a table in the lab, hunched over a skull that was splintered into dozens of pieces. She had already reconstructed the mental protruberance and mental tuberosity, which were both part of the jaw. With that complete, she was starting to work on the ramus and alveolar process. She had been working for hours. It had been a long time since she completely reconstructed a skull from such small pieces. That was exactly why Brennan had taken on the task, though. She knew she could have assigned it to a graduate student, but she needed something to keep her hands and mind busy. She needed something she knew she understood so she could stop thinking about all the things she didn't understand.

Brennan picked up a small paintbrush and very carefully painted a thin layer of glue over a piece of the ramus. With tweezers and steady hands, she put the bone into place. She held it there, allowing the glue to set before slowly removing her hand and looking at the work she had completed. She only admired her handiwork for seconds before she picked up the next bone.

That was how Booth found her as he walked into the lab. The place was mostly deserted minus the few security guards who roamed it at night. The light over Brennan's table was the only one on. He stood to the side of her, out of sight, and watched as she placed the bone so gingerly where it belonged. If Booth had seen that particular piece of bone, he probably would have thought it was a rock. But not Brennan. Brennan knew where everything belonged. With a contraption on her head that had both a light and a pair of magnifying glasses that she could push down over her eyes, she looked like she was more likely to go spelunking than she was to be putting a human skull back together.

Knowing how upset she would get if Booth wrecked her concentration, he hung back and watched her for several minutes. Finally, as her back straightened slightly and she put the tweezers that were in her hand down on the table, Booth knew it was a safe time to interrupt her. It had been hours since she had left Sweets office. She hadn't called like she said she would. Somehow Booth had known that she wouldn't. He knew that she would have thrown herself into some project to distract herself. He had been completely correct.

Booth approached the table slowly. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. When he was only several feet away, Brennan looked up at him. She looked surprised to see him.

"Booth, what are you doing here?"

"You never called," he answered.

"What?"

"You said you'd call and you never did. I got worried."

She looked down at her watch. She couldn't believe what time it was.

"I didn't realize how late it was. I've been working."

"I see that."

"How's he doing?" Booth asked, pointing at the skull.

"She is coming together nicely."

"How long have you been working?" She shrugged. "When was the last time you ate?"

She shrugged again. She and Angela were supposed to have gone out for lunch after they were done with dress shopping, but when Booth had interrupted them with his phone call, Brennan had skipped lunch. She also hadn't eaten dinner.

"How many times do I need to tell you, you need to eat?"

Booth brought a white bag from behind his back. He pulled out a garden salad and a container of broccoli and cheese soup. He put them on the table next to the skull.

"Thank you," she said.

He kissed her on top of the forehead.

"You're welcome."

Brennan took the contraption off her head and picked up the salad Booth had brought her. She unwrapped the plastic fork and began to dig in. She hadn't realized how ravenous she was. Booth watched as she practically wolfed the salad down. He wondered if she would have remembered to eat if he hadn't interrupted her. She probably would have unknowingly worked through the night and into the next morning.

"I'm sorry for leaving," she finally said when the salad was finished.

"Sometimes we all just need time to think, Bones."

"I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"Oh yeah?"

She put the empty salad container down on the table in front of her. "I love working with you, Booth. I've always loved working with you. And it scares me to think that someone might stop us from working together. It scares me that they could assign you a new partner and that I might have to consult with somebody else."

"Why does that scare you so much, Bones?"

"Because this is what we do, Booth. This is what brought us together in the first place. I'm afraid that without…this...what if we're not as meant for each other as we thought we were?"

He took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her.

"We are meant for each other. With or without work, we're meant for each other, Bones. And if I they assign me a new partner, I'll hate every minute of it."

She smiled. "What if it's Casey?"

"Well, maybe I'd make an exception for Casey. We do work very well together." Brennan hit him playfully in the ribs. "Maybe I'm the one who should be jealous. They could partner you up with a handsome guy like me."

"That's true. Although it would be difficult to find somebody else with as symmetrical of a mandible as you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Bones."

"I'm sorry I made you angry."

"You were being rational. It's what you do. It's one of the many reasons I love you."

"I still made you angry."

"Sometimes we make each other angry. It's what we do, Bones. It doesn't change how we feel about each other."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Would you really be willing to give up our partnership so we could get married?"

"Bones, we still have that hearing. They haven't officially split us up yet."

"But if they do, would you give up our partnership?"

He nodded without hesitation. "I'm not saying I would be happy about it, but yes, Bones, I would give up our partnership if it meant I could marry you. Because coming home to you, holding you in my arms, waking up next to you every morning, that's more important to me. I don't want to live without you, Bones."

"That's more important to me, too."

Booth raised his eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that even though I can't imagine working with you, when I came here to reconstruct this skull I realized that I can still be happy doing the work I did before I met you. But I can't be happy without you. Would you marry me, Booth?"

Booth wondered if he heard her correctly. "What was that?"

"I asked you if you'd marry me."

"You're asking me to marry you, Bones?" He asked with a bemused look on his face.

"Yes. I've heard that in today's society, it is not uncommon for a woman to ask a man to marry her and although it's more socially acceptable for a man to ask a woman, since you did ask me first, I…"

"Yes, I will marry you," Booth replied. He brushed his lips against hers. He didn't ask her if she was sure. He didn't ask her if she was just marrying him because he wanted her to. He just accepted it. He accepted that she wanted to marry him and that was all he could ask for.

"It's late. We should go home," Brennan said against his lips.

"I have a better idea."

As he kissed her, she felt her knees grow weak. She wasn't sure if she could make it home.

"Oh?"

"There are no cameras in your office, are there, Bones?"

She gasped as he kissed down her neck to the creamy skin of her collarbone.

"No. Why?"

"Makeup sex."

"What?"

"We argued. Now it's time for makeup sex. And I can't wait until we get home." "So…cameras…office?"

"No. No cameras."

"Thank goodness."

Booth swept her off her feet.

Author's Note: I had a lot of fun with this chapter, especially the last part. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Thank you for the amazing reviews from the last chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Friday

7:49 AM

Booth stood in front of his closet, staring at the dozens of ties he had on his tie rack. He just couldn't decide which one to wear. He was trying to figure out which one made him look more professional. He knew he wasn't about to wear a tie with any kind of design on it, but he still couldn't decide. Should he wear the thin, black tie or the slightly thicker, black tie? He looked down at his crisp, white button down shirt, black suit jacket, and recently ironed black pants that he was wearing. He had even given his shoes a shine the night before to make sure he looked as professional and composed as possible. Booth had never cared about a FBI meeting as much as he cared about the one he and Brennan were going to have that morning.

Unable to make a decision, Booth plucked both the ties off his tie rack and brought them into the kitchen where Brennan was pouring two cups of coffee. She put the coffee pot down when she saw Booth.

"Which one?" Booth asked, holding up both ties.

Brennan turned around. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters."

"They look about the same."

"Just pick one, Bones."

"Why?"

"Because…because it's what couples do. They help pick out each other's clothes."

"You don't help me pick out my clothes."

"Just pick one."

"Fine. That one," Brennan answered, pointing to the thin tie.

"Thank you," Booth said.

Booth put the tie around his neck and threw the other one onto the back of the nearby couch. He walked over to the counter where Brennan was scooping sugar into his coffee cup and kissed her on the back of the head.

"You look beautiful," he complimented. She was doing her best to look professional as well. She had on a pair of black pin striped pants and a black jacket over a green blouse. Her hair was pulled back away from her face in a neat bun.

"You already told me that this morning."

"That's because you're always beautiful."

As he reached around her to take his coffee cup, he pulled her into him so that her back was against his chest.

"Our hearing is in an hour," Brennan reminded him.

"An hour and ten minutes," he corrected.

"We need to be ready for this meeting."

"We are ready."

"We won't be if you start."

"Start what?" He asked coyly as his hand traveled across her stomach. He rested his chin on top of her shoulder so his lips were right next to her ear.

Brennan swatted his hand away. "Stop," she said with a smile on her face.

Booth moaned in frustration. Brennan somehow managed to escape from him and busied herself with rinsing out the coffee pot in the sink.

"Come on, Bones. We've spent the last two days preparing nonstop. You've made charts and graphs and written out speeches. There's not much else we can do to prepare. And I've been feeling…neglected." He stuck out his bottom lip like a pouting child.

"It hasn't been that long."

"Two days, Bones. That's a long time to be without you."

She rolled her eyes. "You haven't been without me. I've been right here the whole time."

"You know what I mean."

She turned to look at him. "Focus, Booth."

"How can I focus when you're in the same room as me?"

He sipped his coffee and looked at her. Brennan finished rinsing out the coffee pot and put it in the strainer. She grabbed her coffee mug and walked over to the couch. She sat down and began to rummage through her work bag.

"It's all there, Bones. Just like it was all there last night."

"I just want to make sure that everything goes as planned. I like to be prepared."

"I know, but this isn't court, Bones. This is just a hearing. Just you, me, and a few FBI guys. Trust me, they'll be so dazzled by your big words, they won't know what hit them."

Brennan stood up and hooked her finger, signaling for him to join her. He walked over to her. She took the tie that was still loosely hanging around his neck and began to tie it. As she slipped the knot up towards his neck, she straightened it. She pressed her lips against his softly.

"Everything's going to be fine," he said.

"I know. I just want to get this over with."

"Me too."

She looked down at the floor. Booth knew something was wrong. He had known something was wrong all morning. She just wasn't herself and he knew why. He was feeling the same way.

"I know you're scared," he said. "I'm scared too."

"I'm not afraid of the meeting. I know I can easily prove that we are successful as partners and that being married won't affect our partnership, but I'm afraid of what their decision will be."

He took her left hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed the back of her hand, right near her engagement ring.

"No matter what their decision is, it doesn't matter. We still have each other."

She nodded. "I know."

"So come on, let's get this over with."

He kissed her once more before picking up Brennan's bag and walking out of the house together.

8:58 AM

Brennan paced back and forth, her high heels clicking on the marble floor. Booth was sitting in a chair, watching her. They were waiting to go into their meeting. Booth looked at his watch. He knew they would call them in any minute. Booth had watched three men walk into the room. One was Frank Harris, the director of human resources. Booth recognized one of the other men even though he didn't know his name. He did, however, know that he had eyes for Brennan and didn't hide it. Booth always caught him staring at her any time she passed his office. Booth wasn't sure whether that would work for them or against them.

The door to the conference room opened. The third man, whom Booth had never met before, asked them to come in. Booth stood up and looked at Brennan. Even though he knew she was scared about the outcome of the meeting, she had her poker face on. She showed no fear. Booth quickly held her hand and squeezed it before letting it go again. He stood to the side so Brennan could enter the room first. She walked in with Booth close behind.

"Thank you for meeting with us, Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan," Frank said.

The three men were seated at a long table. There were two empty chairs across from them. Booth pulled out one of the chairs for Brennan to sit. When she was seated, he sat down next to her.

"Thank you for allowing us to hold this hearing," Booth replied.

"How about we start with introductions?" Frank suggested. He pointed to his right. "This is Agent Ken Goody." Booth looked at him and noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes off of Brennan. Booth clenched his fists. "And Assistant Director Mitch Williams. This is Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian and Agent Seeley Booth." He looked down at a folder full of papers. "We recently learned that Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan, who have been working together for several years, have recently become engaged. Is that true?"

"Yes," Booth answered. "We will be getting married."

"You are aware of the policy that married partners cannot work together, correct?"

Booth nodded. "Yes."

"Yet you would like to continue working with Dr. Brennan, is that right?" Frank asked.

"We would like to continue working with each other," Booth corrected.

"Well, that will be up to the panel," Frank responded.

The assistant director began flipping through the same file that Frank had. As Booth studied him, he realized that he looked bored.

"It says hear that you two are seeing a psychologist with the FBI. A Dr. Sweets?" Mitch asked.

"It was recommended by the FBI that we see a psychologist," Booth answered. "We've continued seeing Dr. Sweets."

"Although I do not believe that psychology is a real science," Brennan added.

"We have a recommendation about your partnership here from Dr. Sweets," Frank said.

Booth looked over at Brennan who looked just as surprised as he did. Neither of them knew that Sweets would have anything to do with the hearing.

"What does it say?" Booth questioned.

"Let me ask you this, Dr. Brennan," Ken said, ignoring Booth's question. "How is it that a forensic anthropologist from the Jeffersonian came to work so closely with the FBI?"

"As the top forensic anthropologist in the country, the FBI required my services on certain cases," Brennan answered.

"Yes, but how did you end up working in the field with Agent Booth?" Ken questioned. Booth did not like the way he was looking at Brennan. If he were just some guy at a bar ogling her, Booth would have already knocked him out.

"Booth and I made a deal," Brennan answered.

"A deal?"

"Yes. Agent Booth and I agreed that…"

"Dr. Brennan's work in the field has proven to be invaluable," Booth interrupted. He didn't think they needed to get into how he and Brennan had really become partners.

"I agree," Brennan said. "If Booth were to rely on the forensics department at the FBI, the rate of solving crimes would severely decrease due to their lack of skills."

"Bones," Booth whispered under his breath. The last thing they needed was Brennan insulting the FBI.

"Bones?" Ken asked.

"It's a…nickname," Booth said. He mentally scolded himself for not calling her Dr. Brennan in front of the panel. Using her nickname just made them seem even closer.

"If it's a question of how successful we are, Booth and I have the highest percentile of solved cases than any other team of agents in the FBI," Brennan stated.

Ken raised his eyebrow. "Can you prove that, Dr. Brennan?" He asked a little too flirtatiously.

Brennan reached into her bag and pulled out four, two-inch thick three ring binders. She passed one out to each of the members of the panel and kept one for herself. The three men all looked at each other, wondering if she was serious. Brennan opened her binder.

"If you look at page one, you will see an overview of the cases Booth and I have worked on together over the last four years." She flipped the page. "Page two shows you, in graph form, the number of cases that we have successfully solved. You can see that our percentage is ninety-eight percent, which is much higher than the average of other FBI agents. There is a comparison of our casework verses other agent's casework on page twenty-two."

"Dr. Brennan, while we know that you and Agent Booth have been very successful…" Frank began.

"Would you like to see the same chart as a pie graph? Booth informed me that people of average intelligence like to see the same data presented in different formats. While I find that unnecessary due to my high intelligence, I also understand that it is important to cater to people of lower intelligences."

Booth rolled his eyes. She had gone beyond insulting the FBI to basically calling each other panel members unintelligent.

"Well, those of us who are not as smart as you, Dr. Brennan, appreciate you stooping to our level," Ken remarked.

"You're welcome," Brennan replied with a smile.

"As I was saying, Dr. Brennan, it is not a question of how successful you are as a team," Frank said. "What concerns us is how your relationship will affect your work."

"I don't believe it will," Brennan replied. "Marriage is simply the act of signing a piece of paper. There is no actual biological change in a person after he or she is married, therefore you can logically conclude that our partnership will not change."

"I can see you're a woman driven by science, Dr. Brennan," Frank said. "Agent Booth, let me give you a scenario. If Dr. Brennan were involved in a hostage situation, what would you do?"

"Follow protocol," Booth answered quickly.

"Would you?" Frank asked. "Often we see with partners who are romantically involved that protocol becomes less important than feelings towards that other person."

"I would follow protocol," Booth repeated. "Like with any other hostage, I would do what I had to do to keep her safe and out of harm's way."

"And you think you'd be able to do that without your emotions clouding your judgment?" Frank asked.

Booth nodded, wondering if he could answer that question honestly.

"I would die for her," Booth finally answered. "I've always been willing to die for her, married or not."

"And how do you think spending so much time together will affect you? After all, you will be working together and be married. That can take a toll on a relationship."

"We've been working together for a long time," Booth replied. "We know the ins and outs of each other and how we work. We know how to stay out of each other's way when we need to. We've been in a committed relationship for almost a year. That hasn't changed our working relationship. Marriage won't either."

"And what about a family? Do you plan on having children?" Ken asked. He winked at Brennan. She didn't notice, but Booth did.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," Booth stated, clearly annoyed with him.

"This is a hearing about your impending marriage, Agent Booth," Ken said. "Children are a natural next stop. How do you think you will be able to juggle having a family and being required to be at the same place at the same time when you have a case?"

"We will work it out," Booth said. As Ken's eyes lingered on Brennan, Booth clenched his fists under the table. He was furious.

"Well, I think we have all the information we need," Frank said. "We'll look over your…binder, Dr. Brennan and we will take what Dr. Sweets recommended into consideration. We'll let you know our decision as soon as we've made one."

"I've prepared a presentation," Brennan stated.

"Thank you, Dr. Brennan, but that won't be necessary. We have everything we need," Frank responded.

"Come on, Bones." Booth stood up. He shook Frank's hand. "Thank you."

He put his hand on Brennan's arm. She reached for her bag and stood up. With his hand at her lower back, they walked out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind them, Brennan whirled around with fury in her eyes.

"They didn't even listen to my presentation!" She nearly yelled.

"They've already made up their minds, Bones," he replied.

"What?"

"You could tell by the looks on their faces. They've had their mind made up before we even walked in the door. It's out of our hands."

She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then why did they let us have a hearing if they had already made their decision?"

"Because that's the way they do things around here."

"What do you think their decision was?"

"Come on, I'll drive you to the lab. Looking at century old bones will make you feel better."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Because I don't think you're going to like the answer."

"You think they're going to split us up?"

Booth sighed. "Yeah, I do."

"Then I should go back in there and insist that they listen to my presentation."

"No. That'll only make it worse. It's out of our hands, Bones. I told you, everything will work out one way or another. Now come on, don't you want to go play with a skeleton?"

She smiled. "I do not play with skeletons, Booth."

They began to walk down the hall when Booth heard a door open. He turned and saw Ken walking out of the room.

"I'll meet you at the car," Booth said.

"What? Why?"

"I just…I've got something I have to do first. I'll be there in a minute."

Brennan nodded and headed off for the parking garage. Booth started walking down the hall in the opposite direction, following where Ken had gone. It only took Booth a minute to catch up with him.

"Hey, Ken, can I talk to you?" Booth asked.

Ken stopped walking. "Going to try to persuade me, Agent Booth?"

Booth shook his head. "No. I know you've already made your decision. I'm here to tell you to stay away from her."

"Excuse me?"

"If I ever see you looking at her like you're undressing her with your eyes again, I'll break your nose. And if you ever even think about touching her, she'll break your nose."

"Are you threatening me, Agent Booth?"

"Yes, I am."

Having made himself clear, Booth turned and walked away.

Author's Note: Well, I know this wasn't the most exciting of chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading and please don't forget to review!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Friday

6:30 PM

Brennan walked through the front door of their house with Booth close behind her. She dropped her bag by the front door and made her way into the kitchen. Booth put the Italian takeout food they had picked up on their way home on the dining room table. Brennan opened the refrigerator and took out two beers. She popped the top off both of them and handed one to Booth. Before he could even put his beer to his lips, she had taken a long swig.

The day hadn't gotten much better since they had left the hearing that morning. With no new case, Brennan had gone back to the Jeffersonian to put the finishing touches on the skull she had been working so diligently to put together. As soon as she had secured the last piece, she had gone to get a camera to take pictures of the skull. While she was in her office looking for the camera, she heard a crash. Brennan ran back to the middle of the lab and found a Jeffersonian intern standing next to her human skull in just as many pieces as when she started on the floor. The intern looked as if she was about to cry. She apologized over and over again. Brennan didn't say a word. She just stared at the pieces on the floor. With the new damage, she knew reconstruction would be near impossible. Brennan, however, didn't believe in impossible. She picked up a pair of tweezers and began picking the pieces up one by one. She had spent the rest of the day starting all over again.

Booth, on the other hand, was stuck in paperwork hell. He had to hand in his quarterly report. Booth always dreaded the quarterly report simply because he felt they were unnecessary. His record stood for itself. He couldn't understand why he needed to write a report of all of his activities.

Brennan began to take dishes out of the cabinets. She and Booth hadn't really spoken since he had picked her up at the Jeffersonian to go home. They knew they each had a rough day. As Brennan put the two plates on the table, Booth put his hand on her arm. He wrapped his arms around her, trapping her in a bear hug. Brennan reciprocated, burying her head against his chest. He rested his chin on top of her head. They didn't speak. They just let themselves be.

"Come on," Booth said quietly.

With his arm still around her waist, Booth picked up the takeout food and began to walk through the house.

"What are we doing?"

"Relaxing," he answered.

They walked up the stairs and into their bedroom. Booth put the food down on the bedside table and walked over to the closet. He pulled out a tray and put it in the middle of the bed.

"You get comfortable and then we'll eat," Booth said.

Brennan grabbed her pajamas from her bureau and walked off into the bathroom. Within seconds, Booth heard the shower running. He briefly thought about forgetting the food and joining her, but after such a long day and an unknown future, Booth knew that's not what they needed. They needed to relax and be there for each other.

Booth began to take the food containers out of the plastic bag and put them on the tray. He quickly ran back downstairs to the kitchen to grab some silverware. Even though they were eating takeout, he didn't want them eating with plastic forks. As he walked through the living room to get back to the bedroom, Booth grabbed a candle from the middle of the coffee table. He went back upstairs and put the candle in the middle of the tray. As he heard the shower turn off, he took a lighter from his drawer and lit the candle. It wasn't exactly the most romantic meal he'd ever planned, but it would do.

Booth quickly changed out of his suit and tie and threw on a pair of sweatpants and a T-Shirt. As he looked in his closet, he realized how many T-Shirts Brennan had stolen from him to wear as pajamas. It made him smile.

The bathroom door opened. Brennan stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a light green tank top and matching short shorts. Her wet hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"Yes, except for the pain in my trapezius muscle."

"English, Bones."

"My neck."

"I keep telling you, you spend too much time hunched over bones, Bones." She rubbed the back of her sore neck. "Come here."

"What are you going to do?"

"Make you feel better."

"You're not a doctor."

"You don't have to be a doctor to give someone a massage, Bones. Trust me, I'm not going to break your back like you did to me that one time."

"I did not break your back."

"Sure felt like it."

"I never claimed I was a physical therapist, Booth."

"Just…come here." She didn't move. "Trust me, you'll like it."

Brennan walked over to him. He turned her around and put his hands on her shoulders. He began to kneed her shoulders, applying a moderate amount of pressure. Within seconds, her head dropped and Booth could feel her relaxing.

"God, Bones, you're shoulders are like one giant knot."

"It's impossible for muscles to knot, Booth."

"I know that. It just means you're tight."

Booth began to apply more pressure. "Mmm…that feels good."

"I told you it would." He continued massaging her shoulders and neck, trying to work out all of her stress from the day. "You hungry?" He asked after a few minutes.

"Yes."

"Then we can pick this up later."

He gave her a kiss between her shoulder blades and she climbed onto the bed. She sat up, leaning against the headboard. Booth picked up the tray and put it over her lap. He climbed onto the bed next to her. Booth opened one of the white, Styrofoam containers of spaghetti. He picked up the fork and twirled it around the noodles. He brought the fork to Brennan's lip. She opened her mouth and ate it. Booth scooped up more spaghetti and ate it himself.

"Do you really think they'll split us up?" Brennan asked as she stole the fork from Booth. She pulled a side salad out of the bag and began to eat it.

Booth took the second fork he had brought up from the kitchen and continued to eat the spaghetti.

"Even if they do, it's not the end of the world, Bones. We'll still have each other."

"I know."

Booth glanced over at Brennan and saw a drop of spaghetti sauce on the side of her mouth. He wiped it off with his thumb and then stuck it in his mouth.

"We're going to be fine," Booth said, sensing the sadness in her eyes.

"If they do split us up, I think you should work with Casey."

Booth looked at her, surprised. "You don't like Casey."

"But you work well together. And I know she has no attraction towards you."

"Ah…so I can work with her because she's interested in women and not men?"

"You're a very desirable mate."

"Am I?"

"Yes. You have all the qualities that would make you good for producing offspring. It's only natural for a woman to be attracted to you."

"Is that all you want me for? To produce offspring?" He asked with a smug smile.

"No, but it is a benefit."

"Well, I don't want you working with some guy who has a…well developed mandible."

Brennan laughed at his use of the language that usually she would be using.

"I don't think you have to worry."

"I'm not worried about you, Bones. I'm worried about him."

"This hypothetical him?"

"Yes. You have no idea how men look at you. How every straight guy in the room turns their head when you walk by. I don't want some guy having the opportunity to stare at you all day."

"You're jealous."

"Damn right I'm jealous."

"Well, it's easy to see how a man could be attracted to me."

"Oh yeah?"

"I too am a very desirable mate."

"Damn right."

He kissed her and began to tickle her under the ribs. She squirmed and giggled as his hands roamed her body and his mouth kissed every inch of her he could find.

"Booth!" She exclaimed. "The tray!"

Booth quickly removed the near empty tray and put it down on the floor beside the bed. He rolled on top of her and, pushing her tank top up, and continued to tickle her. It felt good to hear her laugh. As she slipped down the pillows so she was lying on her back, Booth kissed her stomach. He began to create a trail of kisses up her stomach.

"Booth," she half laughed, half moaned.

As her tank top pulled up even higher, Booth saw her surgery scar. She had healed in every other way from when Collin Brown had taken her, but not the scar. The scar would last with her forever.

"You have to stop blaming yourself," Brennan said.

Booth hadn't even realized that he had stopped seducing her. He traced the scar with his finger.

"I'm sorry," he said.

She knew exactly what he was sorry for. He was sorry that he hadn't protected her. Collin Brown was not a subject that either Booth or Brennan brought up very often. But, every once in a while, when Booth saw her scar or when somebody else mentioned Collin Brown, Brennan could see the hurt on Booth's face. Although she didn't understand it, she could see that he still blamed himself. She knew he would most likely live with that pain for the rest of his life.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Brennan said. Booth continued to trace the scar. "Booth, look at me." He met her eyes. "You saved me."

He shook his head. "Not in time."

She buried her hand in his hair, using her fingers to massage his scalp. "You saved me," she stated. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."

"I still let him take you. I still almost lost you."

"You saved me," she repeated for a third time. She had to make him understand. She had to take the guilt away from him. "Booth, when I was down in that basement. When I felt like I had no chance of survival, I thought about you. I knew you were looking for me. I knew you wouldn't stop until you found me. And I knew if I gave up…if I stopped fighting and you found me, you would hate yourself. That's what saved me. Knowing you were out there, saved me."

Booth pulled her shirt down to cover her scar and pushed himself up so he was lying down next to her. He laid his head down next to hers on her pillow. She saw a tear leak from the corner of his eye and fall onto the pillow.

"I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you," Booth said.

"You didn't lose me. You saved me and you continue to save me every day. You showed me that life is more than just bones and skeletons. You showed me what love is. You showed me what love can be. Thank you, Booth. Thank you for saving me."

She kissed him lightly on the lips, hoping to convey what she was feeling.

"I love you so much," he said.

"And I love you."

This time when she kissed him, it was full of want and need. She rolled onto him, taking control. As she pulled Booth's shirt over his head and threw it to the floor, a ringing filled the air.

"Your phone," Brennan said. She was perched on his naked chest, her hair slipping out of the ponytail. She looked unbelievable.

"Ignore it," Booth replied, pulling her down against him. He kissed her hard and began to work her tank top over her head.

"It could be a case," Brennan panted.

"It can wait."

"Booth!"

Booth groaned. Brennan climbed off him and flopped down on the bed beside him. Booth scrambled off the bed. He found his phone in his pants pocket, which were crumbled in a pile on the floor. He put the phone to his ear.

"Booth," he said bitterly.

"Agent Booth, this is Frank Harris."

Booth climbed back onto the bed and put his hand on Brennan's arm.

"What can I do for you?" Booth asked.

"The board and I have made a decision."

"I'm with Bon…Dr. Brennan right now. Let me put you on speaker." Booth hit the speaker button on his phone. "Alright."

"Dr. Brennan, I was just telling Agent Booth that the board has made a unanimous decision," Frank stated.

"Which is?" Brennan asked.

"We have decided that because Dr. Brennan is not an FBI agent and is a consultant with the FBI we are…allowing you both to continue working together."

Brennan's eyes lit up as she launched herself into Booth's arms. He kissed her, but then remembered that they were still on speaker phone.

"Thank you," Booth said.

"Dr. Sweets recommendation had a lot to do with our decision. It's him I would be thanking."

"We'll do that," Booth replied. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. Have a good night."

"Good night."

Booth hung up the phone and let it drop to the floor.

"We're still partners," Brennan said with a glow in her eyes.

"We're still partners," Booth confirmed.

She pushed him onto his back and straddled him. "Let's celebrate."

Booth smiled and kissed her.

Author's Note: This was definitely one of my favorite chapters to write. I just love writing "romantic" Booth and Brennan. If only they would act like this on the show! Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

One Week Later

Thursday

1:12 PM

Booth opened the bureau drawer and rummaged through its contents. He didn't find anything out of the ordinary. It was a normal sock drawer full of socks that weren't matched. It looked a lot like his own sock drawer. Booth shut the drawer and moved on to the next drawer down. That one contained assorted T-Shirts. Booth was starting to lose hope that they would find anything useful in their investigation at the apartment.

Brennan was across the room, busy in the closet. She was pushing aside shoes and sports equipment, trying to find anything that might give them a hint of what had happened to their victim. They were both in the bedroom of Chuck Littleton, a man who was lying out on the metal table in the middle of the lab. He had been found dead in an abandoned warehouse. A demolition team had found him. His body had been burned postmortem, leaving only bone to work with. In just three days, with nonstop work, Brennan and the team had identified the victim and had determined that he had died from a bullet wound straight to the heart. Whoever shot him had good aim. Brennan and Booth were going through his apartment, hoping to find out who might have the motive to kill him.

"Anything?" Booth asked, hoping Brennan was having more luck in the closet than he was having in the bureau drawers.

Brennan stood up from her hunched position. She was holding an old shoe box in her hands. "I found at least a dozen pictures of our victim with this man." She took a picture out of the box and held it up for Booth to see. In the photograph, the victim was holding a fishing pole in one hand and a large bass in the other. Standing next to him was a man who looked to be about the same age. The picture had obviously been taken recently.

"Could be a friend," Booth suggested.

Brennan shook her head. "They share many of the same facial features. They both have very prominent zygomatic bones..."

"Which means what?"

"Cheek bones. Their cheek bones are very high and distinguished."

"Are they abnormally high and distinguished?"

"Not particularly. Why?"

"Just wondering if they had plastic surgery of any kind."

"No. This isn't the work of a plastic surgeon."

"You can tell that from a photograph?"

Brennan nodded. "Look, they also both have very straight and narrow noses." Brennan pointed to the noses on the photograph. "It's remarkable how similar they are."

Booth looked carefully at the two men in the photograph, trying to see what Brennan could see. No matter how hard he looked, he didn't really see the resemblance.

"You think they're related?"

"Yes. My best guess would be that they are brothers."

"When I interviewed Chuck Littleton's mother, she said he was an only child. Chuck didn't have any siblings. Maybe the guys a cousin or maybe it's just a coincidence."

"It's just not a coincidence."

"Alright then, we'll show these pictures to the mother and see what she has to say."

Brennan put the photograph back in the box. She took a plastic evidence bag out of her satchel and slid the box and all of its contents into the bag.

"I don't think we're going to find anything else here," Booth said.

Brennan sealed the evidence bag. She stripped off the latex gloves she was wearing and threw them into her satchel.

"Then let's get these back to the lab. Angela can run her facial recognition software to determine whether these two are related and you can go talk to the mother."

"Why don't we just interview the mother first together?"

"Because I think she might be lying about Chuck Littleton not having a brother. Angela's software won't lie."

"You're right."

"Of course I am."

Booth rolled his eyes.

"Come on," he said.

They walked out of the bedroom and through the living room. They found the elderly landlord who had let them into the apartment standing in the hallway, next to the open apartment door.

"Thank you for your help," Booth said as he walked out the door.

"Anything for a handsome young man like you," she replied with a big smile on her face. Booth smiled back. It was always as good idea to stay on a person's good side; even if that meant flirting with a woman in her 70's. "You know, I've got a niece who is looking for a strapping, young man like you. I could give you her number."

The woman rummaged through her pockets, looking for something to write on.

"I'm sure your niece is lovely," Booth said as nicely as possible. "But I'm taken."

"Oh?" The woman looked at his ring finger. "Your wife doesn't insist you wear a wedding ring? If my husband looked like you, I wouldn't let him out of the house without it."

"I'm not married...yet."

"Engaged?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Lucky woman."

Booth glanced so quickly back at Brennan, who was busy examining the contents of the man's bookshelf, that the woman didn't even notice the look they exchanged.

"I'm the lucky one. Thank you again for your help."

Booth caught Brennan's eyes. With a hand at Brennan's lower back, he ushered her out of the room with him. As they entered the stairwell and Brennan took the first step, Booth whirled her around. He kissed her hard and fast, leaving her head spinning.

"What was that for?" Brennan asked.

"A man can't just kiss his beautiful fiancé?"

"Of course you can," she said with a smile. Her smile immediately turned to a frown. "But not while we're at work." Brennan put her hand on Booth's chest and slightly pushed him away. Brennan continued down the stairs. Booth stood at the top of the steps, shaking his head and smiling. He knew she wasn't being completely serious. Although he understood how important it was that they keep their relationship platonic at work, especially since the FBI was watching their every move since their hearing, she was often the one who initiated stolen kisses at work. Booth caught up with her at the car.

"You know, I could go back up there and ask the landlord for her niece's number," Booth pointed out as he walked to the driver's side of the car. He unlocked the doors and they both climbed in the car.

"You could," Brennan answered.

"You're not…jealous?"

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous?"

"Because that woman was flirting with me."

"No she wasn't."

"She was, too."

"She was at least seventy years old, Booth. I don't think she's your type. Besides, that woman was just acting as any elder would in a typical, patriarchal society."

"And how's that?"

"It is thought in most societies that a woman's worth is directly correlated with her partner's. An unwed woman is looked down upon. As an elder in her family, that woman was trying to increase her niece's worth and social status by matching her with a desirable mate."

"Are you saying I'm desirable?"

Brennan ignored him. Booth turned on the engine and pulled away from the curb,

"Seeing as how she was just acting out of the need to comply with social norms, it would be unreasonable for me to be jealous because the woman clearly wasn't interested in you sexually, but rather interested in you as a successful male specimen."

"Did I ever tell you this squint talk turns me on?"

Booth dragged his hand away from the steering wheel and placed it on Brennan's knee.

"We have work to do," she reminded him.

"Does that mean no to a quickie in the backseat?"

Brennan rolled her eyes. "That is exactly the reason they don't allow married couples to work together."

Booth smiled. "Was that a yes or a no?"

"No, Booth, I will not have intercourse with you in the backseat when we need to get these photos to Angela."

"What's the rush?"

"You're being very unprofessional."

"You didn't care about being unprofessional when we had sex in your office last week."

"We weren't working then."

"Uh-huh."

Booth dragged his hand down Brennan's leg before finally putting it back on the steering wheel. It was true that he was slightly turned on, but he was only teasing Brennan. He knew that they had work to do.

"Let's change the subject," Brennan suggested.

"Ok, let's talk about our wedding."

"I meant we could talk about the case. For example, why did Chuck Littleton's mother lie about the fact that Chuck has a brother?"

"First of all, we don't know that the man in the photo is Chuck Littleton's brother."

"That man is his brother, Booth. I told you, their zygo…"

"I know, their zoological bones are the same, but that doesn't prove…"

"There's no such thing as a zoological bone, Booth. That doesn't make any sense. It's their zygomatic bones."

"Ok, fine, their zygomatic bones are the same. I believe you, Bones, but we still need proof and you are changing the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"I say I want to talk about our wedding, and you immediately start talking about bones."

"We are supposed to be working."

"We are working. We're driving to drop off evidence then I am going to talk to the mother. In the meantime, we've got at least twenty minutes to kill. Why don't you want to talk about the wedding?"

"I do. I just don't think right now is the most appropriate time."

"That's what you said earlier this week when I brought it up at dinner and that's what you said yesterday when we were eating breakfast in bed."

"That night when you asked at dinner, Parker was over and I didn't think he wanted to be bored with talking about a wedding. And, if I recall, when we were having breakfast in bed, there was something more exciting that we were doing than talking."

"We've been engaged for four months, Bones. We need to start planning. We need to pick a location or a date or I'll even settle for choosing a season. Anything would be better than having no plans at all."

Brennan sighed. "We will make plans."

"When?"

"When we have time."

"We have time now."

Brennan sighed. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't know what location to have the wedding at or what date or what season."

"Well, that's why we're talking about it."

Brennan shook her head. "It's not that I can't decide those things, Booth. It's just that…I don't now. I don't know what I want. As I told you before, I wasn't a typical girl who dreamed of her wedding. I never thought about getting married and having a wedding so I don't know what I want. We can do whatever you want. You have always wanted to be married so you must have some wedding ideas. We can do whatever you want."

He took his hand from her knee and put it on top of her hand. He brought her hand up to this mouth and kissed it lightly.

"I want us to do what we want, Bones, not what I want."

"Angela told me traditionally women do all of the wedding planning, but I feel very ill equipped. I'm not used to feeling…inadequate."

Booth laughed. "Trust me, you're not inadequate."

"But I can't plan a wedding, Booth. I can name every bone in the human body, but I can't plan a wedding."

"Look, traditionally, woman do do most of the wedding planning. But there's nothing about us that is traditional, Bones. So...what do you say we plan the wedding together and make all of the decisions together and come up with a wedding we both will enjoy?"

She nodded. "Ok."

"Good, so first things first. Who do we want to invite? Our close family and friends or a lot of people we barely even know?"

"Why would we invite people we barely even know?"

"Because that's what people do at weddings."

"That's not logical."

"Small wedding it is then."

"I know that religion is an important part of your life, Booth. Although I don't share the same beliefs you do, if you would like to get married in a church, I would agree."

"You would get married in a church for me?"

"If that is what you would like."

Booth kissed her hand again. "You know what I would like?"

"What?"

"You and me. No frills. No big floral arrangements. No corny music. Just you and me. Let's elope."

"You want to elope?"

"Let's go to Vegas. Just you and me. We'll get married by Elvis and stay in a ridiculously expensive hotel and spend all day in a Jacuzzi shaped like a heart. What do you say?"

"You're a recovering gambling addict, Booth. Maybe Vegas isn't the best location."

"I can resist temptation, Bones. It's you I can't resist. Besides, ever since we played Roxie and Tony and I saw you in that dress..." He whistled.

"What about that dress, Booth?"

"Do you know how much self restraint it took for me not to peel that dress off of you right then and there and take you right there on that bed?"

"Why didn't you?"

"Because one night of passion wasn't worth risking what we had. We weren't ready then, Bones and I wouldn't have been able to settle for a one night stand."

"I thought about you taking off that dress, too."

"You did?"

"Mhmm...but I don't think I'd like to get married in Vegas."

"No?"

"I want our friends there, Booth."

Booth smiled. "Then we'll get married here with our friends and family. But we don't have to get married in a church, Bones. I know the thought makes you uncomfortable and I don't need a church or a priest to tell me that my marriage is blessed by God. I know my beliefs. I don't need anybody else to validate them."

"There's always city hall," Brennan suggested.

Booth crinkled his nose. "Too impersonal."

"What about The Old Stone House?"

"One of the oldest building in DC?"

"They have beautiful gardens. It would be very intimate."

Booth nodded. "It is nice there in the spring, which is right around the corner."

"Then we better start planning," Brennan said with a smile.

"It might be impossible to find an available date so soon. I'm sure places like that book up soon."

"I have a colleague who works for the historical society who might be able to help us out. What do you think?"

"I think...I think you should give your friend a call."

Booth squeezed her hand and they both smiled.

Author's Note: So, I know this chapter wasn't very exciting, but I had to find some way to get them to talk about their wedding. I also wrote this chapter on a train in Germany and just had to include it because reading it makes me think of that amazing trip. Thanks for reading!


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

3 Months Later

Saturday

4:39 PM

Brennan stood in front of the full length mirror, staring at her reflection. She smoothed her hand down the front of the white, satin dress. Her hand lingered on her stomach. Although Brennan never really understood the saying, she was sure that what she was feeling could be described as butterflies in her stomach. She felt somewhat nauseous and her heart was beating fast. As the clock ticked closer to five o'clock, the nervous feelings had increased.

Brennan knew Booth was just down the hall getting ready for their big day just as she was. Brennan thought about sneaking down the hall to see him, but she had been told by Angela that it was tradition that the bride and groom not see each other before the wedding. Like most traditions, Brennan did not like that particular one. All she wanted to do was to see Booth. She wanted to look him in the eye and be assured that they were doing the right thing.

The door to the room opened. In the mirror, Brennan could see Angela walking in. She was wearing a simple, light blue sundress. Her hair was adorned with light blue flowers and baby's breath. She had a big smile on her face.

"Are you ready?" Angela asked, approaching Brennan.

She didn't feel ready. The fluttering in her stomach was getting worse. Brennan wouldn't look at Angela. She kept staring at the wedding dress she was wearing in the mirror. She never thought she would see herself in such a dress.

"I…," Brennan answered, still looking in the mirror.

Angela put her hand on Brennan's shoulder. "It's ok to be nervous," Angela said. "It's normal to be nervous."

"It is?"

Angela nodded. "It is. I would be concerned if you weren't nervous. But, if it makes you any less nervous, you look stunning, sweetie, you really do."

"I do look beautiful," Brennan agreed as she stared at herself. She took a deep breath and took in every detail that she saw in the mirror. Her hair was done up in curls, pulled away from her face. Booth always said he liked when her hair was pulled back so he could really see her face. Her makeup was light, which had always been her preference. Her dress was simple, but elegant. Brennan hoped Booth would be happy. Everything she was doing, she was doing for him.

Brennan looked over at a nearby chair and saw the veil that Angela had helped her pick out draped over the back of it. She fingered the lace fabric.

"You ok?" Angela asked, sensing something was wrong.

"Are you angry that I'm not wearing the veil?"

"Of course not."

"I know you took great care in picking it out."

"It's just a veil, sweetie. I'm just ecstatic that I got you into a white dress at all."

"Do you think Booth will be disappointed that I'm not wearing a veil? I know he is a traditionalist and it is a tradition for a bride to have her face covered as she walks down the aisle and..."

"Booth will be happy to just see you walking down the aisle. Trust me, he won't care about a veil."

"I just…I need to be able to see him…to look in his eyes…and not through the cover of a veil. I need to be sure that…" Brennan blinked away the tears that threatened to form in her eyes. She didn't know why she was feeling so emotional. "I know it doesn't make sense. Maybe I should just wear it."

Brennan reached for it to take it off the chair, but Angela stopped her.

"It does make sense, Bren," Angela assured her. "If it doesn't feel right, then don't wear it. This wedding isn't just for Booth. It's for you too."

Brennan nodded. She looked back in the mirror, hoping that the tears that had welled in her eyes hadn't smeared her makeup.

"Have you spoken to Booth?" Brennan asked.

"No, but I did run into Hodgins in the hallway and according to him, Booth can't wait to see you."

"I would like to see him."

"Not until you walk down that aisle."

"I find the custom of the bride and groom not seeing each other to be very strange and unnecessary."

"It's tradition, Bren, just go with it."

"What if…" Brennan trailed off, still staring at her reflection. She still couldn't believe that was standing in a wedding dress about to get married.

"What?"

"What if he has changed his mind?"

"Booth?"

"Yes. What if he has changed his mind about getting married?"

Angela rolled her eyes. She put her hands on both of Brennan's shoulder and turned her so that they were facing each other.

"Booth will never change his mind. He loves you. I know that you're nervous, sweetie, but, trust me, he is going to be there at the end of that aisle, waiting for you with a big smile on his face. He loves you unconditionally. That's all that matters."

Brennan nodded. "I know."

"And you two belong together. You've always belonged together."

Brennan turned back to the mirror. She put her hand back on her stomach. The butterflies were going away.

"I love him," Brennan said. "I never thought I could spend my life loving one person, but I love him."

Angela smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. Weddings always made her cry.

"Come on, your knight in shining FBI suit is waiting."

"I don't believe Booth's suit will be shiny. Nor do I think that he will be wearing his regular work suit."

Angela looped her arm through Brennan's. "You are a very lucky woman."

Brennan smiled. "I believe I am the lucky one."

"Still nervous?"

"Not anymore."

This time it was Angela who smiled. "Good. Now, come on. Let's go find your father so he can walk you down the aisle." Angela opened the door and they walked out of the room together.

A few rooms away, Booth paced back and forth in his tuxedo. Hodgins was sitting on the arm of a sofa in the room. He drank back a shot of vodka. He grabbed the bottle next to him and poured another shot. He held it out to Booth. Booth shook his head.

"Might calm your nerves."

"I'm not nervous," Booth replied.

"Could have fooled me." Booth stopped pacing. "Besides, it's normal for a man to be nervous on his wedding day. You're basically giving up the rest of your life."

"Nice sentiment, Hodgins."

"What I meant to say is you're giving up the rest of your life for a much, much better one." Hodgins put the bottle and full shot glass down. He stood up and faced Booth.

"I'm not nervous about spending the rest of my life with Bones. I know that's what I want. It's what I've always wanted."

"Then what are you so nervous about?"

"I'm nervous she won't show up."

Hodgins clapped him on the back. "Angela won't let that happen. She's put so much into planning this wedding that she would drag Dr. B kicking and screaming down that aisle if she has to."

"Another nice sentiment. Thanks, Hodgins."

"Don't mention it."

The door opened and Jared walked in. He was wearing the same suit as Hodgins. He and Booth had had their differences, but Booth wanted his brother there on one of the most important days of his life.

"They're all ready for you," Jared said. He grabbed the shot glass Hodgins had poured and downed it in one gulp.

"Well, then let's go make me a married man," Booth said. Hodgins stood up, ready to leave with him.

Jared took a second shot and sat down on the couch, ignoring what Booth had said.

"I saw Temperance in the hall," Jared said. "She looks beautiful. You're one lucky son of a bitch, Seeley."

"Yes, I am." Jared took another shot. "Let's save that until after the ceremony, shall we?" Booth suggested. The last thing he needed was his brother causing a scene.

"Lucky son of a bitch," Jared repeated.

"You said that already," Booth said. "Can we go please before my bride changes her mind?"

"Well it's true," Jared said, continuing to ignore Booth. "Temperance is amazing."

"I'm aware, Jared. I'm the one marrying her."

"I mean, she's got everything. She's smart, ridiculously sexy, and hell, she's a great kisser," Jared said.

Booth's eyes grew wide. "What did you say?"

Hodgins looked from Booth to his brother.

"Didn't you say they were all ready for us?" Hodgins asked, trying to diffuse the situation. "Don't want to keep Dr. B waiting. After all, you don't want to give her a chance to become a runaway bride."

"She's a good kisser." Jared took a third shot. "Hats off to you for finally reeling her in and getting yourself a piece of that. Sure took you long enough."

"Ok, no more for you," Hodgins said, taking the bottle and shot glass out of Jared's hands.

"You kissed her?" Booth asked, taken completely by surprise.

"Hell yeah."

Brennan clenched his fist. The image of Brennan kissing him filled his mind and made his skin crawl.

"When?" Booth growled.

"That night she came to that function with me years ago. It was nothing, Booth. I'm sure I've mentioned it before."

"No, you didn't."

"Shouldn't we be going?" Hodgins interjected.

"I can't believe you kissed her," Booth said, slightly feeling better about the fact that at least he hadn't kissed her once he and Brennan had become an official item. Despite that, he was still fuming over the fact that Jared had kissed her at all. Booth had always thought of Brennan as his, even when they were only partners. Of course there had been other men that Booth had dealt with and somehow managed not to murder, but his brother was a whole different matter. He would murder his own brother.

"You gave me permission to go out with her," Jared stated.

"Permission?"

"I asked you if it was ok if I took her out for the evening. You said there was nothing going on between you. Obviously you were lying and now you're pissed about it."

"You're lucky I don't slug you right now," Booth said.

"Uh...guys. Dr. Brennan is probably waiting," Hodgins said. He had to somehow diffuse the situation. If Booth and Jared got into a physical altercation and ruined their suits, Angela would kill him. "We should…"

"You gave me permission!" Jared yelled. "And, in all fairness, look at her, man. She's gorgeous. How could I resist?"

"You don't have to tell me how gorgeous she is. I'm the one who sleeps next to her every night! I'm the one who is going to marry her!"

"All I'm saying is you can't blame a guy for trying to get her into bed."

Booth felt the blood rushing through his veins. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through him. Jared was digging himself deeper and deeper. If Booth weren't wearing the suit he was going to be married in and afraid that he might spill something on it, he would be out for Jared's blood.

"Did you sleep with her?" Booth asked through gritted teeth. If the answer was yes, nothing would stop Booth from lunging across the couch and strangling his brother.

"No. But trust me, it wasn't like I wasn't trying."

"Look, this really isn't the time…" Hodgins began.

"Shut up, Hodgins!" Booth shouted. "I can't believe you," he said to Jared.

"You gave me permission."

"Not to kiss her!"

"Look, you two weren't dating then. You refused to admit your feelings for one another. How was I supposed to know you two were secretly in love with each other? It was a kiss. Nothing more."

Booth took a few long, deep breaths. He needed to calm down. He didn't want anything to ruin his perfect day. Logically, Booth knew his brother had done no wrong. He and Brennan weren't dating then. He had to keep reminding himself of that. Booth clenched and unclenched his fists several times. He had to get over it. He had to ignore the fact that he wanted to kill his brother and move on to seeing his beautiful bride to be. He did not want to keep her waiting.

"Hodgins is my best man," Booth stated coldly.

"What?" Hodgins and Jared said at the same time.

"Hodgins is going to be my best man," Booth repeated.

"I thought I was your best man," Jared replied.

"Yeah well you were until I found out that you kissed and wanted to sleep with my soon to be wife. Hodgins, on the other hand, never kissed or wanted to sleep with her. Right, Hodgins?"

"I…" Booth glared at him. "Right. It never crossed my mind that Dr. Brennan is an attractive, intelligent woman who…"

"Hodgins!" Booth yelled.

"Right, shutting up."

"Seeley, seriously," Jared said. "You're going to make him your best man because of one kiss?"

"No, I'm going to make Hodgins my best man because, unlike you, he's been there for me. Hodgins should have been my best man all along. He doesn't only call me when he needs me to fix his life."

"Yeah, I only call when I have news about bugs or slime," Hodgins said. Booth glared at him again. "Right, shutting up again."

"Now that that's settled, let's go make me a married man," Booth said, clearing his mind of what had just happened and thinking only of Brennan.

Booth led the way out of the room. Hodgins looked over at a shocked Jared. He shrugged and followed Booth. Booth walked out of the small, ornate house and into the backyard. The scene was beautiful and intimate. The backyard was completely in bloom with beautiful flowers that Booth couldn't even begin to name and grass so green that it almost looked fake. In front of a particularly vibrant flowering yellow bush there was a white archway decorated with white lace and light blue flowers. Only twenty, white folding chairs faced the awning. Most of them were already occupied. Booth smiled and shook hands with his and Brennan's small groups of guests as he made his way to the archway. They had only invited a select few. It was family and close colleagues only. Booth took his place under the archway. The justice of the peace was already ready and waiting. Hodgins and Jared walked down the aisle and joined Booth.

"I can't believe you," Jared mumbled.

"Leave it alone, Jared," Booth replied. "I don't want to have to break your nose on my wedding day."

"Down boys," Hodgins said.

"Are we ready?" The justice of the peace asked.

"Yes," Booth answered. "Now all I need is a bride."

"Here she is."

Booth turned to look down the aisle. He first saw Angela walking towards him with a big smile on her face, holding a beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers. Just behind her was Brennan, standing at the top of the aisle with Max escorting her. He had the biggest smile on his face Booth had ever seen. But it wasn't Max Booth was concerned with. It was Brennan. His eyes caught hers. They both smiled. He felt as if he couldn't breathe. Just the mere sight of her had taken his breath away. She was perfect.

As soon as Angela made her way to the archway she gave Booth a quick peck on the cheek. Everyone turned back to look at Brennan. She felt everyone's eyes on her, but all she could see was Booth. She looked deep into his eyes, glad that she decided not to cover her face with a veil. She needed to see him and what she saw was love and assurance. Brennan didn't care about anything or anyone else. For the first time in her entire life, she felt like everything was right.

Holding her bouquet of daisies and daffodils, Brennan made her way down the aisle slowly with her father, never taking her eyes away from Booth. She found herself standing in front of him in mere seconds. When she reached him, her father kissed her lightly on the cheek and shook Booth's hand. As Max went to his seat with a tear rolling down his cheek, Booth reached for Brennan's hand.

"You're so beautiful," he said quietly. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

The justice of the peace began his service, but neither Brennan nor Booth really heard him. They were too busy getting lost in each other's eyes.

9:11 PM

"I love you," Brennan whispered into his ear.

Booth leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Clapping erupted from the small crowd. They had been doing that all evening. Laughing, Brennan pulled away from him. Booth only tightened his grip around her waist. They were swaying back and forth to the music. A few other, scattered couples were around them on the dance floor including Angela and Hodgins. The wedding ceremony had been short and perfect. Brennan had expected to dread it, but she actually thoroughly enjoyed it. She and Booth were enjoying the reception even more.

"Hey dad!" Parker yelled as he ran across the dance floor.

"Parker, don't run!" Booth was about to chase after him when he felt Angela's hand on his arm.

"I'll get him. You two enjoy each other."

"That's alright, Angela, I'll get him," Brennan said. "He promised me a dance."

Booth kissed her forehead before letting Brennan go. She went off after Parker and Booth made his way back to their table. He hadn't really had the chance to enjoy the amazing cuisine. Booth sat and shoveled a few forkfuls of the roast pork and garlic mashed potatoes into his mouth. He watched Brennan on the dance floor with his son. They were both smiling uncontrollably. The sight of them made Booth fall even more in love with both of them. He continued to eat for several more minutes before standing up and heading to the dance floor. He just had to have his hands on her again.

"Mind if I cut in?" He asked Parker.

"Sure. I want more cake!" Parker ran off towards the dessert table.

"Only one more piece!" Booth shouted after him. As he pulled Brennan into his embrace, he shook his head. "He'll be up all night if he keeps eating sugar."

"What about us? Are we going to be up all night, too?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"Well, we should rest at some point, Booth. We do have an early morning flight tomorrow."

"Whose idea was it to leave for our honeymoon at five AM the morning after our wedding?"

"I believe you said you wanted sun and ocean as soon as possible."

"Next time we book a honeymoon, let's make sure we give us some time to recover from our long night of passionate love making."

"Next time?"

"I plan on taking a lot of vacations with you in skimpy little bathing suits."

She smiled. "I think that can be arranged."

As their lips touched, applause broke out once more.

Author's Note: Ok, so out of all of the stories I've written and posted, this chapter has made me the most nervous. I know everyone was looking forward to the wedding and I really hope that I didn't disappoint. I didn't go into much detail about the wedding itself, but, having been the maid of honor in two weddings (with one more this summer), the ceremony for me is always the least memorable thing. For me, it's all about the getting ready and the connections between people. Anyway, I hope you liked it and please don't forget to review!


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Monday

11:11 AM

Booth could see her elongated shadow before he saw her. Sitting in his fluorescent orange swimming shorts on a wooden beach chair, with a bright yellow umbrella looming over him, Booth had been staring out over the crystal clear ocean for hours. He was not one for sitting and doing nothing, but there was something about the beating sun, the warm air, and the spectacular view that made him feel relaxed. She stood behind him, her shadow looming over him. Booth waited for Brennan to join him on the chair. She didn't move. He smiled, knowing that she was being coy with him.

"Can I help you?" He asked without turning around to look at her.

"That depends." Her voice was smooth as silk. Just hearing it turned him on.

"On what?"

"I'm looking for my sexy, strapping FBI agent husband. But I can't seem to find him anywhere."

"No?"

"No. He wouldn't be able to sit still out on the beach for this long without having something to do."

"Well, maybe if you join him, he will have something to do."

Her shadow moved. But, instead of joining him on the chair, she walked in front of him and stood, blocking his view. He liked the new view much better. She stood with her feet planted firmly on the sand and her hands on her hips. She was wearing only a black bikini. Her hair was left blowing in the wind. It certainly wasn't the first bathing suit he had seen her in, but out of the ones he has seen since they landed in Honolulu two days earlier, it was his favorite.

"You're blocking my spectacular view," Booth said, pulling his sunglasses low on his nose so that he could really look at her.

"Are you complaining?"

"Nope." She didn't move. "I thought you were going to join me."

"I'm thinking about it."

"Come here," he said as he motioned for her to join him. She took the few steps toward him and straddled the chair so that they were facing each other. He leaned towards her and kissed her.

"You are so sexy," he murmured, kissing her jaw.

"I've missed you," she said. He tucked her hair behind her ear. Hearing her say that she missed him made him smile.

"It's only been two hours," he reminded her.

"Two hours is a long time to be away from my husband."

"I like the way you say that."

"Me too."

"How was your spa visit?"

"Relaxing. My masseuse was a man named Steven. He had very good hands."

Booth felt a twinge of jealousy. "He?"

"Yes, he. He had very large, skilled filangies."

"Oh really?"

"Mhmm…but don't worry, your hands are much better."

"They better be."

She kissed him again before turning around and backing up against him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her neck.

"You're going to burn out here."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Booth picked up a bottle of sunscreen from next to his chair and squirted some into his hand. He wiped his hands together and began to apply the lotion to her back. As he worked the white lotion into her skin, he massaged her gently.

"Your hands are definitely better," Brennan moaned.

"And don't you forget it."

Booth moved down to her lower back and then around to her stomach. She giggled as he tickled her.

"So, what do you want to do today?" He asked.

"You mean we can't just stay in bed like we did yesterday?"

"That is tempting, but we are in one of the most beautiful places in the world. We might want to enjoy it."

"I thought we were enjoying it."

"Trust me, we were definitely enjoying it."

"So, let's go back to our room and enjoy it some more." She ran her hand down his thigh.

"I like the way you think."

"I am known for being highly intelligent."

"But…"

"But?"

"But I booked us some surfing lessons."

Brennan turned around to face him. "Surfing lessons?"

"Yeah. I've always wanted to learn. I just never had the time. And since we're in one of the most beautiful places in the world, I figured we could learn together."

"Do you know how dangerous surfing can be?"

"It's perfectly safe."

"No it's not!"

"We'll be fine, Bones. We'll be with a surfing instructor. There's nothing to worry about."

"But we could drown!" Booth smirked. "What?" He didn't answer. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're afraid of the water," he stated.

"What? That's absurd."

"You haven't been swimming since we got here. As matter of fact, since I've known you, you've never gone swimming."

"I have too."

"I've seen you go diving with flippers and air tanks, but never just swimming. You're afraid of the water."

Brennan stood up and walked back towards their hotel that was only several yards away. She crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling very naked. Booth jogged to catch up with her.

"Bones…"

"Leave me alone."

He put his hand on her arm. "Don't run away from me." As she turned, he saw tears in her eyes. "Hey, hey, it's ok." He wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "We don't have to go surfing. It's fine. Just don't walk away from me."

Her gaze was focused on the sand. She was so used to running. Whenever she felt emotional pain, she ran. She was learning, though, that with Booth, she couldn't run.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"You don't have to be sorry. Just tell me what's wrong."

She took a deep breath. "You're right. I don't like the ocean."

"Why?"

"When I was six, my mom took Russ and I to the beach. Russ had to go to the bathroom so my mom left to take him. She told me to stay on the blanket. But I wanted to swim so I…I went into the water. I was fine at first, but there was a big wave and it knocked me down and the undertow pulled me out. I had taken swimming lessons. I knew I knew how to swim, but I couldn't…I was so lost under the water. And it was so cold. I couldn't find the surface and I couldn't breathe and the waves kept swirling me around…"

"Oh Bones, I'm so sorry."

"Some man from the beach saw me out there. He jumped in and grabbed me and pulled me out. If it weren't for him, I would have drowned. Now, when I look at the ocean, I remember the waves and the undertow. I'm not afraid of swimming pools or diving tanks, but the ocean. Around the ocean I just feel terrified. I don't want to have that feeling again."

"Why didn't you tell me before we decided to spend our honeymoon on the beach?"

"I like the beach. Just not the water. And besides, you said it was your dream to honeymoon in Hawaii. I didn't want to ruin that dream."

Booth smiled. "You're incredible, you know that?" He kissed her lightly. "We don't have to go surfing, you know."

Brennan looped her arms around his neck. "You do, Booth. You said you've always wanted to. I got to go to the spa this morning and you should go surfing."

"This is our honeymoon. We should be spending it together."

"And we can…tonight. I've already made us reservations tonight at the hotel restaurant. It will be perfect. You go surfing and I will meet up with you later."

"And what will you do while I'm surfing?"

"I could always see if Steve has any more openings."

Booth narrowed his eyes. She smiled mischievously.

"I love you," she said, pecking him on the cheek.

"You better," he said before crashing his lips on hers. There was nothing light or slow about that kiss. Booth wanted to remind her that she was his. He kissed her a little more passionately than he normally would have considering they were in public.

Someone cleared her throat nearby, causing Booth and Brennan to break apart.

"Sorry to interrupt," the young woman said.

They both looked over at her. She couldn't have been older than her early twenties. Brennan immediately noticed her outstanding bone structure. She wasn't native Hawaiin, but instead was tall, blonde, naturally tan, and in incredibly good shape. The fact that she was wearing a blue and pink polka dot bikini accentuated her obvious attractiveness.

"Are you Mr. and Mrs. Booth?"

"Yes," Booth answered.

"No," Brennan answered.

The young woman looked at them both, confused. Booth gave Brennan a look. Booth had accepted the fact that Brennan had decided not to take his last name, but she needed to me less sensitive about being referred to as Mrs. Booth.

"I'm Kaylee, your surfing instructor," the young woman said.

"Right, of course. There's been a change of plans. My wife won't be joining us, but I am really looking forward to learning how to surf."

Brennan looked Kaylee up from head to toe. "I've changed my mind," Brennan said. "I would love to learn how to surf."

Booth looked at her quizzically. "But I thought you…"

"Have always wanted to learn how to surf. Where are our sticks?"

"Sticks?" Kaylee asked.

"You know, the things you stand on," Brennan answered.

"Boards, Bones," Booth corrected. "They call them boards."

"Of course, boards."

"Ah…right this way."

Kaylee walked in front of them and led them down the sandy beach. Brennan reached for Booth's hand.

"You don't have to do this," he said quietly.

"It's good to face your fears."

"Is that really why you're doing this?"

Kaylee stopped several feet in front of them and bent over to pick up a shell off the ground. Both Booth and Brennan received a good view of her supple behind.

"Of course."

He leaned close to whisper in her ear. "You're more beautiful than she is."

"While that is true, I am still going with you."

"Might I remind you that you just got massaged for two hours by a man named Steve."

"Are you saying you don't want me to come?"

"No, of course I want you to come. I just don't want you to do something you don't want to do."

"I never do things I don't want to do."

"Ok," he responded. He put his arm around her shoulder. Even though he knew the reason why she was going surfing with him wasn't really because she wanted to, he accepted it.

"And by the way, Steve was gay."

Booth smiled as they walked together to where three surf boards were lying out by the water's edge.

After more than a half hour of safety instructions and sitting on the surf boards on the sand, Brennan and Booth were finally out on the water. After struggling a few times, Booth had finally managed to shakily make it onto his knees as he rode the wave towards the shore. Brennan and Kaylee were sitting in the shallower water on their surfboards. Just a few yards away from them, Booth wiped out, falling off his board. He surfaced, shaking his head to wipe away some of the water. With his board in toe, he swam over to where Kaylee and Brennan were waiting.

"That was very impressive, Seeley," Kaylee complimented. "You're a natural on the board."

"I thought the point was to get on your feet," Brennan said.

"I'd like to see you try," Booth replied teasingly.

Brennan looked out into the expansive ocean. Ever since she had stepped into the water, she had felt that familiar fear of being lost and cold and unable to breathe. She tried to calm herself, rationalizing the fact that she was obviously in a very different situation than when she had been trapped under the water as a child. She tried to convince herself that it was just like diving. She was always comfortable with in air tank strapped to her back. She knew she needed to face her fears.

"Ok, I will."

Brennan got down on her stomach as Kaylee had instructed them and began to paddle out into the deeper waters. Her stomach was in knots and even though the water was warm, her body was broken out in goosebumps. When she felt like she couldn't go any further without having some sort of mental breakdown, Brennan turned the board around. Seeing Booth across the water calmed her. If she fell, he would be there to catch her.

Brennan looked behind her and saw waited for the perfect wave as Kaylee had described. She let one wave push her forward. She was too afraid to try to stand just yet. Booth watched her from across the water. He saw her look at a wave, but let it pass her by. He knew she was most likely petrified. He thought about paddling out to tell her that she didn't have to prove anything when he saw her brace for a wave. She waited until the wave was right behind her, pushing at the back of her board. She felt it propelling her forward. Taking a deep breath, she pushed off the board and got onto her knees. Within a split section, she made the decision to go for it. She jumped up and planted her feet. Putting her arms out to balance her, she stood on the board and allowed herself to feel the freedom of surfing on top of the water. She could faintly hear Booth cheering. Her fear disappeared as she rode the wave.

The feeling lasted only seconds as she lost her balance and fell into the water. She felt the familiar swirl of the water around her and she began to panic. She kicked her legs and pumped her arms, trying to find the surface. She felt the tug of the surfboard as it was still attached to her wrist. She opened her eyes and immediately regretted it. The salt water stung her eyes. She continued to flail until she forced logic into her head. She was not that six year old little girl anymore. Brennan kicked upwards and her head broke the surface just as Booth's arm came around her waist.

"Bones, Bones…" He repeated over and over. She coughed and sputtered, dangling her arm around his neck. "You ok?"

"I…I…I was surfing," she stated.

Booth smiled and smoothed back her wet, tangled hair. "Yeah, you were."

"I did better than you."

He laughed. "Yes, you did."

"I want to do it again."

"Again?"

"The feeling of gliding on the water was like…flying."

"Bones, you fell off the board. Are you sure you're ok?"

"I panicked for a minute, but somehow I know I was going to be ok." He kissed her forehead. "And I knew you would save me."

"Always."

"So, I'd like to try it again."

"Ok…my girl."

Author's Note: Well, I hope everyone enjoyed reading this chapter. I had a lot of fun writing it, even though I know nothing about surfing. Don't forget to review!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Monday

7:30 PM

Booth stepped out of the shower and wrapped the white, fluffy towel around his waist. He wiped the condensation the steam from the shower had created off the mirror and looked at himself quickly. He had shaved that morning, but knew he was going to have to shave again. His six o'clock shadow was glaring back at him in the mirror. He was not about to go to one of the fanciest restaurants he had ever been in with his beautiful wife with a six o'clock shadow. Booth picked up his can of shaving cream and squirted some on his hands. He wiped it over his face and chin until he was satisfied that his face was covered. Booth picked up his razor and began to meticulously shave his face.

When he was through, Booth splashed water on his face and wiped the excess shaving cream off his face. He rinsed his razor and splashed some aftershave on his skin. He glanced down at the wristwatch that he had left on the counter. He couldn't believe how quickly the day had passed. After their two hour surfing lesson, Brennan insisted on continuing it. She was enjoying herself too much to give up surfing. Booth had rented two boards from a nearby cabana and they stayed out on the water all afternoon. He hated to admit it, but she was considerably better at staying on the board than he was. It didn't bother him, though. Instead it just gave him more of an opportunity to watch her.

Knowing that he only had a half hour before their reservation, Booth opened the bathroom door and headed straight for the closet in the bedroom. He opened the closet and pulled out the one suit he had brought for just a special occasion like going out to dinner. He laid the suit out on the bed and went to the bureau to grab himself a pair of boxers. As he slid them on, he realized that he hadn't seen Brennan. She had taken the first shower so that she would have time to get ready. Booth had expected to see her sitting in front of the vanity applying her makeup or doing her hair, but she wasn't in the bedroom.

"Bones?" Booth called out. There was no answer. Booth walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. The hotel room they were in was considered to be one of the best suites on the island. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room that was almost as big as Booth's entire apartment, and a beautiful kitchen that neither of them had used. Booth walked by the flat screen TV that he hadn't even turned on once, and glanced into the kitchen. She wasn't there either. Wondering if she had decided to use the extra bedroom to get ready, he walked down the hall to the unused bedroom.

"Bones?" There was still no response and she was nowhere to be seen. As panic began to set in, Booth ran into the living room. He grabbed his phone off the table and was about to call her when he noticed he had a message waiting. Booth opened the text message and read it.

'Meet you at the restaurant. Love, Bones.'

Booth suddenly felt calmer. He knew she was safe. He sent her a message back.

'What's going on, Bones?'

He wandered back into the bedroom with his phone in hand, waiting for a response. Within a minute, he got one.

'Trust me.'

He smiled. He knew she had something up her sleeve. He couldn't wait to see what it was.

'Always,' he wrote back before putting his phone down and putting on his suit.

Booth walked into the exclusive restaurant. He looked down at his phone. It was ten of eight. Not knowing if Brennan was there or not, he approached the hostess who was standing behind an intricately carved mahogany pedestal.

"Welcome to Mau Loa. Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes, it's under Booth."

The hostess checked her computer. "Yes, Mr. Booth, your table is almost ready. I believe your wife is waiting at the bar."

Booth nodded. "Thank you."

He walked over to the bar and scanned the crowd. There were dozens of couples and groups of people hovering around the bar. Booth looked for Brennan. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked down at it.

'Looking for someone?' He read.

Booth looked around, still unable to find her.

'Where are you, Bones?' He typed back.

'It's not Bones.'

Booth looked at the message quizzically. He was about to ask her what she meant when he felt someone standing behind him. He turned around and his mouth fell open. She was standing in front of him with a smirk on her face.

"Roxie," he whispered.

"You remembered," she replied smugly.

He drank her in like a cool drink of water. She was standing before him in the same, stunning, sexy, black dress that she wore that night in Las Vegas when they had transformed themselves into Roxie and Tony. Her hair was curled, her makeup dark and overstated, just as it was that unforgettable night. Booth looked down at her feet. She was wearing the same black heels that accentuated her killer legs. Booth was rendered speechless.

"I…you…I," he stumbled. He couldn't come up with the words. She was perfect.

"If you don't like it, I could go back to the hotel and change," she said.

He put his hand possessively around her waist. "Don't you dare."

"Does that mean you like it?" She asked even though she knew the answer. She was proud of herself for learning to be so coy.

"Do I like it? Bones…"

"Roxie," she corrected.

He smiled. "Roxie, you are every one of my fantasies all wrapped up into one." He leaned in and kissed her just as he had wanted to do that night in Vegas.

"I highly doubt that's possible," Brennan said, her hands flat against his chest. "Fantasies are often varied and…"

He silenced her with his lips. "Trust me, you are every fantasy." He ran his hands up and down the smooth fabric of her back. He settled them at her waist. She raised her eyebrows, doing her best to act just like Roxie would have.

"So Tony, remember what I said about not wanting to be your fiancé because I didn't believe in marriage?"

"Mhmm?"

"I changed my mind."

"I'm very glad to hear that."

She leaned forward and kissed him once more. Forgetting they were in a public place, their tongues dueled, their hands began to wander. They only stopped when the hostess walked over to them and cleared her throat, interrupting their kiss.

"Your table is ready."

"Thank you," Booth said somewhat wishing that they were back in their hotel and not in the restaurant. A fancy dinner didn't seem so necessary anymore. Not when Brennan was wearing that dress.

They followed the hostess to a table secluded in the corner. Booth pulled out Brennan's chair and she sat. Booth sat across from her. He ordered a bottle of wine when the waiter approached them and then he looked at Brennan.

"You are so beautiful," he said.

"I know."

"And so humble."

"I find it unnecessary to pretend that I am not beautiful when obviously I am."

"Obviously." He was teasing her, but she had no idea. "I can't believe you kept the dress."

"It's a nice dress."

"No, Bones, that's not just a nice dress. That dress should be illegal."

"Why would a dress be illegal?"

"Because it makes me think very bad thoughts," he said in a husk whisper.

"Oh yeah?"

"That's the dress that almost made our partnership come to a crashing halt. I told you, it was very difficult keeping my hands off of you when I saw you in that dress. It took every bone in my body not to touch you."

"Is that the plan for tonight? For you to keep your hands off of me?" She asked with a smile.

"Quite the opposite, my girl."

"Good."

"As a matter of fact, it's a good thing that I didn't see you in our hotel dressed like that."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because we would never have made it to the restaurant."

"Maybe then it's a bad thing. I think I would have very much liked staying in the hotel with you."

"You look too beautiful to just stay in a hotel. Besides, we'll have plenty of time for me to not keep my hands off you later."

"I can't wait."

"Me either."

11:12 PM

Booth opened the hotel door. Brennan walked in in front of him. As he went to close the door, Brennan pushed him against the wooden door, slamming it closed. She immediately went for his belt buckle.

"Bones," Booth panted as she began to work on his belt. He didn't want her to stop, but he needed her to stop. He pushed her hands away from, not forcefully, but enough to know that he didn't want her to reach her goal.

"Is there a problem?" She asked, her pouty lips just inches from his.

"I have waited a long time to get you in this dress."

"I thought the point was to get me out of the dress."

"That will come. Wait here."

"Where are you going?"

"Trust me."

Brennan took a step back, reluctantly taking her hands off of him. She had sat through the entire dinner wanting him and she didn't want to wait any more. Booth quickly brushed past her and disappeared into the bedroom. Not sure how long she was going to have to wait, Brennan walked into the spare bathroom. She looked in the mirror and decided that if Booth wanted a recreation of the night in Las Vegas, she needed to become more Roxie-like than ever. Brennan reached into her purse and pulled out a tube of lipstick. It certainly was a deeper red than she usually wore, but it was part of the character. Brennan covered her lips with the lipstick, admiring how the red changed her entire appearance. She quickly reapplied some thicker mascara and used her hands to rouge up her hair. Satisfied, and wishing she knew what Booth was up to, Brennan left the bathroom. As she walked back into the living room, she saw him leaning on the door frame of the bedroom. He had changed out of his suit and was wearing a white tank top with a pair of dress pants. His hair was spiked with gel and he had a look on his face like he wanted to devour her. He began to walk towards her, but stopped several feet away from her.

"We did a good job today, Bones," he said.

"What?" She asked, wondering what he was referring to. The only thing that came to mind was the surfing they had done earlier, but she didn't much feel like talking about surfing.

"On the case. We did a good job."

"Case? What case?"

"Going undercover as Roxie and Tony. I was skeptical at first, but we really figured it out. I'm proud of us, Bones." He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder as if he was unsure about touching her. Brennan finally figured out what he was doing.

"You're role playing, aren't you?" Brennan asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Booth replied with a wink.

Brennan nodded. "Ahh…you're pretending you're not pretending, but you really are pretending. Is this part of your fantasy, Booth?"

Booth shook his head. "Talking about it kind of breaks the fantasy, Bones."

"Right, sorry." She cleared her throat, trying to get into character. "Yes, we did a very good job, Booth. But now I'm very tired. Could you unzip my dress for me please?"

Booth held his breath. He knew they were just playing. He had of course helped her out of many dresses since then, but this was different. He felt like touching her was forbidden.

Brennan pushed her hair aside and turned so that her back was to him. He slowly moved closer to her and took the zipper in his hand. As he was about to pull it down slowly, relishing the moment, he put his hand delicately on her shoulder. He trailed his finger across her shoulder blade and to the base of her neck.

"Booth?" She questioned.

"What are you thinking, Bones?" He asked.

"I'm thinking I'm tired," she answered, playing along.

He let go of her zipper and put his hand on her other shoulder. He began to knead it slightly, massaging her.

"Have you ever thought…"

"Thought what?"

"About…us?"

"I think about us often, Booth. We work together very well."

She was going to make it difficult for him and he was loving it. This was exactly how he had pictured that night going. He leaned in so that he was whispering in her ear.

"I mean, do you think about us being more than just partners?"

Brennan turned around to face him, giving her best, unknowing smile.

"As in a sexual relationship?"

"We're both attractive, responsible adults who have, as you put it, biological needs. I don't know why we can't…satisfy those needs with each other."

"So that would be it? Just sex to satisfy biological needs? Nothing else?"

"Nothing else."

"Are you sure you can do that, Booth? I know that sex for you isn't just about the sex. Can you separate the two?"

Booth looked her up and down and licked his lips. As much as he was enjoying his little fantasy, he wanted to get that dress off of her.

"Yes," he lied. He knew he would never have been able to separate the two with her. That's why he hadn't crossed that bridge any earlier than he had. He hadn't wanted to lose her.

"What about our partnership? You don't think sex will change that?"

"No. As matter of fact, I think this might relieve some of our sexual tension."

"We have sexual tension?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You haven't felt it?"

"Sexual tension is nothing more than endorphins…"

"No, no science," he interrupted. He ran his fingertip up her arm, lingering at her shoulder. "You have felt it, haven't you?" He wasn't just acting anymore. He needed to know if, for the years they were pretending they didn't have feelings for each other, she had felt the same thing he felt.

"Yes, I've felt it," she admitted.

"Then let's do something about it."

She nodded. "Let's do something about it. Now help me out of this dress," she said with a smile.

Brennan turned around again. Booth clasped the zipper and slowly pulled it down. He could feel the heat growing in him with every inch the zipper went down.

"I love you," he whispered, knowing he was breaking character.

"I love you, too."

Author's Note: This chapter was purely selfish. I loved the Vegas episode and I just had to recreate it somehow. I hope you liked the pure fluff! Please don't forget to review. Thanks for reading!


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

2 Years Later

Monday

9:37 PM

It had been two years since their wedding day. The time went by so quickly, neither Brennan nor Booth could believe that they were celebrating their second anniversary. What surprised them even more than the passing of time was the fact that nothing much had changed. They still worked together by day, solving more cases than ever before, and went back to their home to enjoy each other at night. The FBI never again bothered them over the fact that they were a married couple working together. The biggest changes were that of the people around them. Parker had grown almost a foot since their wedding day. Angela and Hodgins were married less than a year after Brennan and Booth and were living happily in Hodgins' estate. Everything was working out better than Brennan and Booth could have imagined.

That was what Brennan was thinking as she walked Booth into the bedroom. She was standing behind him, leading him slowly through the room. His arms were out, trying to feel around in case anything was in front of him. His necktie was tied around his eyes so that he couldn't see. Brennan wanted to surprise him.

"Bones, what are we doing?" Booth asked.

"You'll see."

They kept walking, taking small steps.

"You know you make me nervous when you try to surprise me."

"Trust me, you'll like it."

"That also makes me nervous."

When she finally got to where she wanted him to be, Brennan stopped. "Ok."

"Ok, what?"

"Happy anniversary," Brennan said, as she untied the tie and let it fall away. Booth looked around. They were standing in the bathroom. The room was illuminated by dozens of candles around the room. Two wine glasses and a bottle of wine, sitting in an ice bucket, were on the shelf next to the bathtub. The bath was full of hot water and lavender scented bubbles.

"A bath?" Booth asked, somewhat confused. Although he absolutely loved taking baths with Brennan, taking a bubble bath was not his favorite activity. He was a little shocked that that was her surprise.

"I know how hard you've been working. I thought you could use some time to relax."

"I thought we already celebrated our anniversary on Friday," Booth reminded her. They had spent Friday night in a five-star hotel outside of the DC area. They had an exquisite, six-course meal for dinner and spent the night doing everything but sleeping. On Saturday, they spent the morning in bed and the afternoon having couples massages. It was a perfect weekend.

"Friday wasn't our anniversary. Today is. Which is why, even though we both spent the day working, we're going to spend the night celebrating."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

She walked behind him and slid his suit jacket off his shoulders. She folded it and placed it over the edge of the sink. She put her hands on his shoulders and turned him around so that he was facing her. While her eyes stayed on his, she began slowly unbuttoning his dress shirt. Booth started to think that a bath might just be the best anniversary present ever.

Brennan untucked Booth's shirt and undid the last few buttons. She ran her hands over his chest, raking her nails over his skin, as she pushed the shirt off his shoulders. She pulled on the sleeves and rid him of the garment. Without breaking eye contact, she reached for his cocky belt buckle. She un-buckled it and placed it carefully on the sink next to his clothes. She worked on his belt next, slowly pulling the leather through the loops of his pants.

"Bones…" he said, wishing she would hurry up.

"Shhh."

Booth wanted her. Even after two years of marriage, she had the ability to turn him on with just the sound of her voice or the touch of her skin against his. He wasn't sure how it was for other married couples, but the spark hadn't burned out between him and Bones. If anything, it had grown stronger.

Brennan dragged the zipper of his pants down and began to slide the slacks down his thighs. As his pants pooled at his feet, Booth stepped out of them. Booth looked at her as she neatly folded his pants and put them on top of his suit jacket. There was something about her folding his clothes so diligently that turned him on even more. The only problem he saw was that it was highly unfair that she was still fully clothed and he was down to his boxers and striped socks.

"Sit," Brennan commanded, pointing to the edge of the tub.

Booth did as told. She squatted in front of him and took his leg in her hands. She began to unroll his sock. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen anything so incredibly sexy.

"God, Bones…" he said.

She smiled, sensing just how much he was enjoying her little game, and took off his other sock.

"Up," she said when she had put his socks with his other clothes.

Booth stood up. There was only one more piece of clothing left. Without actually touching his skin, Brennan pulled down his boxers painfully slowly. She never stopped looking into his eyes. She knew how turned on he was, but she wasn't going to give in just yet.

"In," she said, pointing to the tub.

"You're very demanding."

"In."

Booth gladly complied and stepped into the tub. The warm water and bubbles surrounded him as he sank into the tub. He sat down, his legs outstretched. He reached out his arm.

"Join me," he said.

"Not yet."

"Please," he begged.

"Patience, Booth. Patience."

Holding his gaze, Brennan slowly lifted her shirt up and over her head. She discarded it on the floor, not bothering to fold it like she did with Booth's clothes. Next, she shimmied her skirt over her hips and onto the floor. Brennan stood in her high heels and matching black, lace panties and bra.

"If you don't join me in this tub, Dr. Brennan, I'm going to be forced to come out there and get you."

"There's one more thing before I join you," she said. She made her way out of the bathroom and returned less than a minute later. She had a manila envelope in her hand.

"Your anniversary present."

"We agreed not to do presents this year, Bones," Booth said.

"I couldn't help myself."

Brennan handed him the envelope. Booth opened it, trying not to get it wet. He pulled out a thick sheet of paper and looked at it. It was a sheet of tickets.

"The Nationals?" Booth asked. He looked like a child who just opened his favorite toy. "You got me season tickets to the Nationals Hockey Team?" Brennan nodded. "How did you get these? They sold out the minute they went on sale."

"My publisher's cousin is dating one of the members of the team."

"You got me season tickets to the Nationals!" He exclaimed, a huge smile on his face.

"I thought you'd like them. But, be careful, you're going to get them wet."

Booth stared at them for a good solid minute as if he didn't believe they were real.

"I guess that means you like them," Brennan said.

"Like them? I love them!" He slid the tickets back into the envelope. "But you know what I love even more?" He flung the envelope across the room. It landed on the floor near the toilet.

"Booth!"

"You. Come here."

He reached for her and pulled on her arm. She felt into the tub on top of him, splashing water all over the floor. He laughed as she struggled to right herself in the tub. She had one leg still dangling over the edge and she was squashed against Booth's chest. He had his arm protectively around her waist.

"Booth, my clothes!" She yelled.

"I don't think those constitute as clothes," Booth replied. He looked at her and laughed.

"What?"

He scooped a pile of soapy bubbles off her head.

"You made a mess," she remarked.

"It was worth it."

He inched his hand up her back and unclasped her bra. He pulled the straps down over her shoulders and threw the wet bra onto the floor.

"This isn't how this was supposed to go," she said.

"Oh no?"

"No. But you just can't be patient, can you?"

"Not when it comes to you. Besides, this is supposed to be my anniversary present, isn't it? So I should get what I want."

"I suppose logically that makes sense."

As she got herself more comfortable, he slipped her panties off and threw them along with her bra.

"Now that's more like it," he commented. Booth grabbed a loofa from the nearby shelf and dipped it into the water. He rubbed it across the back of her neck and down her arms. As he washed her, he nibbled on her ear. Under the water, she ran her hands up and down his legs and rolled her head back so she was leaning against his shoulder.

"Thank you for this," he whispered.

"Mmm…you're welcome."

"You're so incredibly sexy."

She turned her head and kissed him. Booth dropped the loofa into the water and cupped her face, intensifying their kiss.

"We have all night," she reminded him.

"I want you now."

"And you'll have me…eventually."

"You're such a tease."

She smiled and turned. She positioned herself against the other end of the tub. Their legs were tangled in each other under the water. Booth picked up the bottle of wine from the ice bucket and popped the cork. He poured it into the two glasses and handed one out to Brennan. She shook her head.

"No thank you."

"No wine?"

"No. Which leads me to the second part of your present."

"Bones, we said we wouldn't…"

"I know we said we wouldn't give each other anything, but this is something you gave me."

"I don't understand."

"Booth, I…"

The doorbell rang.

"Who could that be?" Booth asked. "Are you expecting anyone?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Maybe they'll go away. Now, what were you saying?"

Booth picked up Brennan's right leg and began massaging her foot.

"I was going to tell you that…"

The doorbell rang again. A loud knocking followed the ring.

Booth groaned. "I'll be right back," he said, lowering her leg into the soapy water. He put his wine glass down and stood, ready to get out of the tub.

"Don't go."

The doorbell rang another three times in succession.

"It doesn't sound like they're going away. I'll be right back."

Booth got out of the bathtub. Before grabbing his robe off the back of the bathroom door, he kissed Brennan on the top of the head. He disappeared out the door, leaving Brennan alone. She looked at his still full wine glass and wished she could have some. She had been waiting for that right moment to tell him. That moment had come and gone.

Booth walked through the bedroom and down the stairs. Making sure his robe was completely closed, he opened the door. Cam was standing on his doorstep.

"Cam?"

"Did I interrupt something?" She asked, taking in his appearance.

"Bones and I were…"

She put up her hand, stopping him. "I don't need an explanation. I'm sorry to interrupt, but we've got a body."

"A body?"

"The FBI"s been trying to call you for an hour."

Booth walked through the house and into the living room. He found his jacket and pulled the phone out of his pocket. He looked at the screen. He had eleven missed calls and three voicemails.

"I wasn't near my phone," he said. Cam had followed him into the house.

"Yeah, well, they called me to find you. They really need Dr. Brennan on this one."

"What have we got?"

"Multiple bones were found in a sewage treatment plant."

"A sewage treatment plant?" Booth asked, not liking the sound of that.

"They think the bones make up an entire skeleton. That's why they need Dr. Brennan."

"Need me for what?" Brennan asked as she walked down the stairs, wearing her own robe.

"I was just telling Booth that we're needed for a case. They're specifically asking for you, Dr. Brennan. I know it's your anniversary and you two were probably…celebrating but…"

"Do we have any information about the scene?" Brennan asked.

"It's a waste treatment plant, so I've been told the body is pretty ripe," Cam answered.

"Great," Booth replied sarcastically.

"Give us ten minutes," Brennan said.

She was already heading back up the stairs.

"I'll be out in the car," Cam said.

Booth followed Brennan up the stairs. He found her picking up her clothes off the bathroom floor.

"Can't we have someone else look at the dead body, Bones?" Booth asked.

"They asked for me, Booth."

Brennan gathered his clothes and handed them to him.

"They can wait an hour, Bones. Come on, I'm…"

"Experiencing an erection?"

"Well, you don't have to say it like that."

"It's true, isn't?"

"Well, yes, but..."

As she pulled her hair back, Brennan looked at him. "Logically, we have two choices. We can have intercourse quickly or you can…"

"I am not having sex with Cam sitting outside in the car," he whispered.

"Why are you whispering? Even a person with extremely good hearing wouldn't be able to hear you from outside."

"I know that Bones."

"Then, why are you whispering?"

Booth scowled.

"This is your fault, you know," Booth said as he pulled on his boxers and pants. Brennan was already dressed.

"I'll meet you downstairs."

Brennan left the room, thinking of nothing but the skeleton she would soon be putting back together.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

10:56 PM

"I'll need to swing by the Jeffersonian and get my things," Brennan said ten minutes later as she opened the door to Cam's car to talk to her.

"I already brought everything," Cam replied.

"But I'll need my..."

"Everything's in the bag in the back, Dr. Brennan," Cam assured her.

"Then we'll follow you there," Booth said.

"Alright, let's go," Cam replied.

Booth walked over to his SUV and unlocked the doors. He turned to Brennan, who was still standing next to Cam's car with the door open. "You coming?"

Brennan slammed Cam's car door.

"How does she know everything I will need is in the bag?" Brennan asked.

"Because she knows you very well. Just get in the car, Bones."

Brennan hopped into the car. Booth drove off, following Cam. He and Brennan drove in near silence to the crime scene, occasionally stealing glances at one another. As he drove towards the crime scene, Booth wished he were back in the bathtub.

They could smell the scene before they even arrived. Cam drove into the parking lot and parked next to a police cruiser. The entire plant had been sealed off with yellow police tape. While Booth and Brennan got out of the car, Cam went around to the back and took out two Jeffersonian bags. She handed one to Brennan. Brennan immediately opened it and began looking through to make sure she had everything she would need.

"It's all there, Dr. Brennan," Cam insisted. "Let's get going."

They all ducked under the yellow tape and headed towards the waste treatment plant building. The smell grew stronger as they approached. Booth pinched his nose with his fingertips.

"You the FBI?" A man asked. He looked to be in his mid-forties with a receding hairline. He was wearing bright yellow, rubber pants and matching boots.

"Special Agent Seeley Booth," Booth said. He shook the man's hand and then regretted it. He was pretty sure that the majority of the putrid smell that was in the air was permeating from the man himself. "This is my partner Dr. Brennan and this is Dr. Saroyan."

"Joe Dunn," he said. "I'm the building supervisor."

"Are you the one who found the body?" Booth asked.

Joe shook his head. "Nope. That would be Steve Mitchell. Poor kid. Only nineteen yeas old. It was his first week on the job."

"I'll need to talk to him," Booth said.

Joe pointed to a young man dressed in the same yellow rubber pants who was sitting on some empty crates just a few yards away. He was sitting up, staring straight ahead, his eyes not blinking.

"Good luck. He's not much of a talker," Joe said.

"Where's the body?" Cam asked.

Joe pointed to the door that led inside the building. "Still in the pool."

"The pool?" Booth questioned.

"That's what we call it. You'll see. Follow me."

Joe began to walk towards the building. Booth hung back.

"I'm going to stay out here to talk to the kid."

"Wimp," Brennan whispered as she walked by him, knowing that he did not want to go anywhere near the sewer treatment plant.

Brennan and Cam followed Joe into the building. As they entered the room, the smell became overwhelming. Neither Cam nor Brennan reacted in any way. Although the smell was nauseating, they were used to terrible smells. Immediately they both knew why Joe referred to the building as the pool. There really was a large pool of brownish water in the middle of the building with two smaller pools on either side. Each one was dirtier than the last.

"That's where we found him," Joe said, pointing to the largest pool in the middle.

"We don't know that it's a him," Brennan corrected. She took a camera out of her bag and began snapping pictures of the scene. She knew they probably wouldn't help much. There wasn't much to see except for dirty water, but it was an important part of the investigative process.

When she was sure that she had enough photos, Brennan put her camera safely back in her bag. She knelt down next to the pool and peered into the murky water. She could see what looked like the tip of a femur bobbing on the surface. Brennan dug through the bag and pulled out her blue jumpsuit. She quickly pulled it on over her clothes. Once she zipped it, she pulled on a long pair of rubber gloves. She tucked the sleeves of her jumpsuit inside the rubber gloves, trying to protect her hands. Brennan kneeled by the pool once more. She felt a strange, uncomfortable twinge in her stomach. She tried to shake the feeling and reached out for the bone.

"Let me get that for you ma'am," Joe said, kneeling down next to her.

"Don't touch the remains," she commanded, slapping his hand away.

Joe looked over at Cam who raised her eyebrows, telling him that Brennan meant business. He backed up.

Brennan reached across, trying to get her hand on the femur. She couldn't quite reach it. The feeling in her stomach intensified. She felt like she was going to be sick, but she knew that she was going to have to hold it in. There was no way she was going to contaminate the crime scene.

"I'm going to need to go in," she said.

"That pool is fifteen feet deep," Joe explained.

"Not to mention full of human feces," Cam said, the smell finally getting to her. She felt like she knew what it was like to be in the world's largest toilet and it was not a pleasant place to be.

"Then we'll have to drain it," Brennan replied.

"Drain it? I don't think you realize the operation we've got going on here. Each of the pools holds the waste until we can properly dispose of it to decrease the likelihood of contamination and…"

"We have a dead body, Mr. Dunn," Brennan sated. "The pool will be drained."

Brennan put her hand over her fluttering stomach. She wasn't sure how much longer she was going to be able to hold on to the Thai dinner she and Booth had consumed in her office earlier in the evening.

Brennan stripped off her gloves and threw them into her bag. She slung the bag over her shoulder and quickly made her way out of the building. As soon as she hit the outdoors, she took a deep breath. Her stomach was still unsettled, but it felt better than it had in the building.

"You ok?" Booth asked, coming up behind her. He put a hand on her back. "You look pale."

"I'm fine," she answered.

"Bones…" He had heard her use that phrase too many times to know that it wasn't always completely truthful.

"It's nothing. What did you find out from the kid?"

Booth took a good look at her. She was definitely paler than she had been, but he wasn't going to push it. She would talk to him when she was ready.

"Not much. He was checking the pools to make sure they were running correctly when he saw something in the water. He ran to get Mr. Dunn and then they called the police. Considering the kid looks scared out of his mind and probably won't be returning to work, I'd say he's not our number one suspect."

"Who else has access to the plants?" Brennan asked.

"I'll have to sit down and talk to Mr. Dunn, but my guess is any of the workers."

"I won't know anything about the victim until the pool is drained and I can get a better look at the remains. Mr. Dunn wouldn't let me in the pool."

"Thank you, Mr. Dunn."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That means that if you still smell tonight, we are not sleeping in the same bed."

Brennan glared at him as Cam and Dunn came walked out of the plant.

"The FBI will be here with equipment to drain the pool within the hour," Cam said.

"Mr. Dunn, I'd like to ask you a few questions if you wouldn't mind coming to my office," Booth said.

"Of course. Anything I can do to help."

"You can follow us in your car. The treatment plant will have to be shut down until further notice."

"I don't think that's possible. We're already hurting by having to close down the main pool. I don't think we'll be able to shut it down. I mean, the entire city uses this plant and my job could be at stake. It's not a glamorous job, but it is a job and…"

"This is a crime scene," Brennan interrupted.

"Yes, but without this place, no one will be able to flush their toilets or use running water or…"

"Then get the mayor on the phone and tell him to turn off the water," Brennan said as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy."

"I'm afraid you don't understand how important it is to preserve evidence. We have a dead body!"

Booth put his hand on Brennan's shoulder. "We will work as quickly as we can to minimize the effect this will have on the plant and the city," Booth assured him.

"Thank you," Dunn said.

"You can follow me to FBI headquarters," Booth said to Dunn.

"Let me just settle some things here and I'll be right with you."

Dunn walked away, his head slightly bowed. Being around death so often, Booth often forgot how much of a toll it took on the people who were involved in it.

"I'll ride with Cam to the lab," Brennan said.

"You don't want to interview Mr. Dunn with me?"

"I think I'm more needed at the lab."

"Cam, could you…" Booth began.

"I'll be in the car," Cam said, sensing that it was time for her to make her exit.

"Are you ok?" Booth asked.

"I told you, I'm fine."

"You're still pale."

"I'm just tired."

"You should go home."

"We have a body, Booth."

"And it will still be a body tomorrow. Besides, you don't know how long it will take to drain the pool."

She kissed him on the cheek. "I'll let you know when I have any news."

She turned and walked to Cam's car. Booth shook his head and watched as the car pulled out of sight.

15 Hours Later

2:45 PM

After swiping his badge, Booth walked up the platform with two cups of coffee in his hand. He sipped one and handed the other out to Brennan who was standing over the completely cleaned and entirely less smelly skeleton. As was predicted, every bone from the skeleton had turned up in the pool. Brennan had spent hours cleaning them and placing them meticulously on the gurney. Hodgins was running samples of the muck that the body had been found in, although most of it was turning out to simply be human feces while Angela was working on facial reconstruction. Brennan was still working on cause of death. She hadn't found anything to suggest how their victim had died. What she did know was that the victim was an average sized, middle-aged woman who had no identifying marks in her bones. No surgeries, no breaks, not even arthritis.

Brennan shrugged off the coffee.

"I don't know anything yet," she said, concentrating on the skeleton in front of her.

"Have you eaten?"

"What?"

"Have you eaten?" He repeated.

"I told you I would call you if I had found cause of death or if Angela had identified our victim. Since I have not found cause of death, nor has Angela determined the identity of our victim…"

He put his hand on her arm.

"You haven't eaten," he said.

"I've been busy."

"That's what you said two hours ago when I called and asked if you had eaten and you promised me that you would find something to eat."

"And I will. But right now, I'm busy."

"You're incredibly stubborn, you know that?"

"And you're incredibly pushy."

"I just want to make sure you remember to take care of yourself. You've been up for over thirty hours."

"So have you."

"Yeah, but I've eaten and had coffee."

He handed her the cup again. She finally took it from him, but didn't drink it. Just the smell of it made Brennan's stomach tighten and it gave her a queasy feeling.

"Why don't you…"

"Dr. Brennan, I found something!" Hodgins exclaimed as he bounded up the platform steps. He was holding a large, white bucket. The stench that permeated from the bucket immediately filled the room.

"Please tell me that's not poop," Booth said.

"Actually, it's a combination of human feces, urine, and an organic material I haven't yet identified."

Brennan could barely hear what Booth and Hodgins were saying as the scent filled her nostrils and turned her stomach. She turned away from the bucket.

"Why are you showing us this?" Booth asked.

"Because what I found is this…"

Hodgins reached his gloved hand into the bucket and pulled out a piece of what looked like water logged paper. Holding it over the bucket, he showed it to Booth.

"It's skin," he explained.

Brennan glanced at it and turned her head. She had no time to react. The vomit rose in her throat and she threw up on the floor right next to the table that held her immaculate remains.

"Bones!" Booth said, immediately putting his hand on her back and rubbing it soothingly. She remained hunched over.

"Dr. Brennan, are you…"

"Get that poop bucket out of here!" Booth commanded. "And call a custodian."

Hodgins looked from Brennan to his bucket and made his way off the platform. Booth crouched down in front of Brennan, sidestepping the vomit.

"Hey, you alright?"

"I'm fine. I could have compromised the remains."

"Forget the remains, Bones, I'm taking you home."

"No."

"You're sick."

"I'm not sick. I just need to get cleaned up."

Still feeling queasy, but knowing that she had very little in her stomach, Brennan got to her feet. She looked at the remains and immediately covered them with a protective sheet.

"Bones…"

"I'll be right back."

She slowly walked off the platform and headed for the bathroom. She only hoped she could hold down what was left in her stomach until she reached a toilet. Booth stood on the platform, somewhat in shock. He looked over as Angela walked up the steps to the platform.

"Hodgins told me what happened. Is Brennan alright?" Angela asked.

"She says she is."

"For a person who has seen more disgusting things in her life than Hodgins, it seems strange that she would throw up after smelling a sewer."

"I guess even Bones has her limits. But for the time being, could you please tell your husband not to bring buckets of poop around?"

"Of course. Maybe Brennan has a stomach bug or something."

"Yeah…maybe," Booth trailed off.

"Would you like some good news?"

"Sure."

"I have an ID for you."

"Already?"

"I was able to match dental records. According to Hodgins, the body couldn't have been in the treatment plant for long because the bones are in such good condition."

"So who is our victim?"

"A forty-seven year old woman named Donna Thomas. Her husband reported her missing six days ago."

"I'll have someone take a look at the husband."

"Do you want me to check on Brennan?"

"I'll do it thanks, Angela."

"Good because I've never been very good with vomit."

They both headed off the platform. Angela headed for her office while Booth headed for the restrooms. He stopped outside the women's room and knocked on the door.

"Bones?" He called. There was no answer. "I'm about to enter the ladies room," he announced.

Booth opened the door with his eyes closed. As the door closed behind him, he heard the sound of coughing. Booth opened his eyes, grateful that no one else appeared to be in the bathroom. He went to the only occupied stall and saw Brennan kneeling in front of the toilet. She wasn't throwing up, but Booth could tell she felt like she might. Booth leaned down next to her.

"I'm taking you home," he said.

"I'm fine."

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

Brennan stood up and bypassed him, heading for the sink. She washed her hands and splashed her face with the cool water. Booth handed her a paper towel. She dried her hands and patted her face.

"I'm not sick, Booth," she said.

"You threw up when Hodgins showed you a bucket of crap. You've seen worse than that, Bones and haven't thrown up. There's something wrong."

"It's not something wrong."

"What do you mean?"

It wasn't the way she had planned on doing it, but Brennan felt she had no choice. She reached for his hand and smiled.

"I'm not sick, Booth. I'm pregnant."

Author's Note: So, I know everyone pretty much what was going to happen, but I hope you enjoyed reading about "the moment." Thanks for reading!


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

3:03 PM

"I'm not sick, Booth. I'm pregnant."

He was in shock. He was sure he heard her wrong. She couldn't have said the word he thought she said.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm pregnant," she repeated.

"We're going to have a baby?" He questioned, his eyes wide.

"Yes."

As the news finally sunk in, Booth couldn't think. A million thoughts flowed through him. He looked into Brennan's eyes and suddenly his mind felt clear. He had never been so ecstatic. Booth threw his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet. He twirled her around and impaled her mouth with his. Although she appreciated his reaction, Brennan could feel her stomach turning.

"Booth," she said. He finally stopped spinning her and placed her back on her feet. She put her hand to her queasy stomach.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologized. He covered her hand with his over her stomach. "Did I hurt you?"

"No….I just feel rather nauseous. I believe the layman's term for it is morning sickness."

"How long have you known?" Booth asked, wondering how long she had kept the secret from him.

"For several days."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to make it special. I was waiting for our anniversary, but we were interrupted."

"That's what the bath was all about?" He asked. She nodded. "That's why you wouldn't drink the wine."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I know when you found out about Parker, it wasn't very special, so I wanted to do something that you wouldn't forget. I didn't expect to tell you in the women's bathroom. Are you mad?"

"Mad? Bones, I've never been happier in my life." He kissed her again. "We're going to have a baby."

"I believe we've already established that."

"I just like saying it. I can't believe it."

Booth hadn't taken his hand off her stomach. He was still finding it hard to believe that their baby was growing inside of her.

"Well, with the amount of sexual intercourse we have, it is not that unbelievable. And, as we agreed, it has been almost four months since we've used any form of contraceptive."

"I know we've been trying to get pregnant, Bones, but it still doesn't make it any less unbelievable that we're actually going to have a baby."

"That logic doesn't make any sense. And you do realize that right now I don't have a baby. Right now, what I really have is a blastocyst."

"A what?"

"The blastocyst is the ball of cells which will become the embryo and placenta.

"What does that mean?"

"Our baby isn't quite a baby yet. It will take a significant amount of time before the ball of cells growing inside of me is really a baby."

"Ok so…what does that mean in my terms? How far along are you?"

"Although I haven't yet been to a doctor to confirm, my most educated guess would be approximately five weeks. I have an appointment with a doctor recommended to me by a colleague on Tuesday."

"You told a colleague about being pregnant before me?"

"I needed to gather information about the best doctor. Does not telling you first break some kind of rule?" She asked, a sense of fear and nervousness flashing in her eyes.

Booth wrapped his arms around her waist. "No, you didn't break any rules." He rested her forehead against hers. "I'm so happy, Bones. Are you happy?"

"Although I am not looking forward to feeling sick for the next nine to ten weeks with morning sickness as is customary, I am happy about having an offspring with you."

"I love you."

This time it was Brennan who initiated the kiss. She hooked her arms around his neck and kissed him with fire and passion. Without either of them noticing, the bathroom door opened.

"I guess this means you feel better," Angela said.

Brennan and Booth broke apart. They had both forgotten that they were not only still at work and not in the privacy of their own home, but that they were also standing in the middle of the women's bathroom.

"Angela, we were…" Booth began.

"No need to explain. I was just checking to make sure you were alright."

"I feel fine, Angela," Brennan assured her. "Thank you."

"Uh-huh." Angela could sense the energy in the room. Something good had happened. She desperately wanted to know what it was, but she chose not to ask. She knew she would find out in time. "We have some more information about our victim, Donna Thomas."

"I'll be right there," Booth said.

"We'll be right there," Brennan corrected.

"You are going home," Booth instructed.

"I told you I feel better," Brennan insisted.

"You're still going home."

"Why?"

"Because…" Booth was about to say that now that she was pregnant, she needed to take care of herself, but he kept it to himself.

"I'll let you two finish here," Angela said before exiting the bathroom.

"I feel fine, Booth," Brennan said.

"You haven't eaten or slept."

"I will when I am done with the remains."

He shook his head. "You are not just taking care of yourself anymore, Bones. Now you have to think about you and our baby."

"It's not a baby yet, Booth," Brennan reminded him.

"We can talk science later. Right now, you're going home."

"Booth…"

"No arguments. I am taking you home. You are going to eat something nutritious and take a nap."

"Booth…"

"After you've taken care of yourself, then you can finish examining the body."

"I don't see how this is fair."

"Life isn't fair, Bones. Deal with it."

Brennan opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She crossed her arms over her chest, showing Booth that she did not like what was happening.

"Fine," she conceded.

"Fine." He leaned over and kissed her on the tip of her nose. "Let's go." Booth took her hand and they began to walk towards the door.

"I don't think we should tell anybody yet about the pregnancy. I would like to wait until my second trimester just in case anything should happen to the baby."

"Nothing is going to happen, Bones."

"You don't know that. Ten to twenty-five percent of pregnancies end due to miscarriage. The majority of those miscarriages occur in the first twelve weeks."

Booth cradled her face in his hands. "Nothing is going to happen," he repeated.

"I still think we should wait."

"Then we'll wait, but can I ask one favor?"

"Of course."

"I would like to tell Parker."

"Oh." Brennan looked own at the floor. Booth noticed the change in her face. She was no longer smiling. She looked hurt. He slid his hands up and down her arms.

"If you want to wait before we tell Parker, I understand," Booth said, knowing something was wrong. He knew a lot of women waited to tell people about their pregnancy, but Booth was surprised that Brennan wanted to keep it from Parker.

"No, I want Parker to know. I just…I thought we would tell him together."

"Of course we'll tell him together."

"But you said that you would like to tell Parker."

Booth held her hands in his. "Bones, what I meant was that I want us to tell Parker before we tell anyone else. Of course I want you there. We're a family. I think it's important for him to know that and to know that no matter who comes along, we will still be a family."

"A family."

"Yeah, a family."

She felt the tears stinging her eyes. One dripped down her cheek. Booth caught it with his thumb.

"What? What is it?" He asked.

"I've never…it's been a long time since I've been part of a family…a real family."

"What are you talking about?"

"My parents tore our family apart."

"There are a lot of different kinds of families, Bones. The squints are our family. You, me, and Parker are a family. We're just adding another addition."

"I love you," she said, pressing her forehead against his.

"And I love you." He kissed her forehead. "And now I'm taking you home."

"Let me just finish the…"

"No. Home."

Brennan sighed. He took her hand and led her out of the bathroom. Neither of them could stop smiling.

Booth pulled his SUV into the driveway. He grabbed the flowered gift bag from the passenger seat and got out of the car. As he walked up the driveway and headed for the front door, he heard someone call his name. Booth turned and saw his neighbor, Tim throwing down some rock salt to try to get rid of some of the ice that had formed on his walkway after their most recent snow storm.

"Hey Tim," Booth called across the street. As much as he wanted to get inside to see Brennan, he walked to the end of the driveway so that he could more easily talk to Tim. Although they weren't close, he and Tim had shared a number of neighborly conversations over the years. Every couple months, Tim and his wife Hailey would invite Booth and Brennan over for dinner or a cookout. More often than not, Booth and Brennan had to cancel last minute because of a case they were working on, but they still had a friendship with the couple.

"Heard we might get some more snow later this week," Tim said.

"Yeah, hopefully not too much. I'm tired of shoveling," Booth replied.

"Yeah, I hear you. Every time winter rolls around, Hailey threatens to move us to Florida so she doesn't have to deal with the snow."

"It does sound enticing."

"Yeah sometimes it does. Hey, Hailey and I were wondering if you and Temperance wanted to come over for drinks some time this week."

"Ah…yeah, that sounds good," Booth said.

He couldn't hide his smile, knowing that Brennan wouldn't be drinking anything alcoholic for quite a while. All day Booth had been bursting to tell someone about his big news, but he had kept his mouth shut. He desperately wanted to tell someone and Tim was just standing there. As he was about to open his mouth, he remembered that as soon as he told Tim, he would tell Hailey, who would probably tell Mrs. Monroe who lived down the block. Pretty soon the whole neighborhood would know about it and Brennan wouldn't be very happy.

"I'll have Hailey set a date."

"Sounds great." He held up the gift bag. "I want to give this to Temperance so…"

"Right, of course. Gotta keep the wife happy."

Booth smiled and nodded.

"See you."

Booth waved and headed back up the driveway. He went up the walk, fishing for his keys in his coat pocket. He opened the front door and walked into the house. He spotted Brennan sitting on the couch, her eyes fixated on the television.

"What are you watching, Bones?" He asked.

"This forensics show is completely inaccurate," Brennan said, pointing at the TV. "There is no way they would be able to get a DNA result back that fast. Not to mention that the coroner is not wearing any gloves. Do you realize how much evidence is being contaminated because she's not wearing any gloves?"

Booth shrugged off his coat and threw it over the armchair. He walked over to the couch and gave Brennan a quick kiss on the forehead.

"You're blocking the TV, Booth," she said, pushing him out of the way.

"When did you become such a TV junkie?"

"This show has been playing all day and every episode has been erroneous. If that was how we solved cases, nothing would ever get really solved."

"It's a drama, Bones. It's supposed to be entertaining, not accurate."

"Well, it's exposing the uninformed public to incorrect information."

"How long have you been watching this?"

"Just a few episodes."

"Uh-huh." Booth handed her the plastic bag he had brought in from the car.

"What's this?"

"Open it."

Brennan opened the bag. She pulled out a jar of pickles and gave Booth a quizzical look.

"Pickles?"

"Keep looking."

Brennan put her hand in again and pulled out a carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream. It was her favorite flavor.

"Pickles and ice cream? Booth, why would you wrap pickles and ice cream in a gift bag? Am I missing something?"

"They always say pregnant women crave pickles and ice creams. I figured it would be best if we were prepared."

"Cravings are usually a result of the body needing a nutrient that isn't provided otherwise. It's possible that I will crave pickles and ice cream, but there's no way to know what one will crave."

"Well, we have them just in case. There's one more thing in there."

Brennan reached her hand into the bag again, fully expecting another food item. What she pulled out was what looked like a piece of folded cloth. Brennan unfolded it and held it up. It was a pale yellow onesie with a rubber duck in the middle.

"What is it?"

"It's a onesie, Bones. Babies wear them."

Booth studied her face. She wasn't as happy and excited as he thought she would be. Booth had picked up the groceries and onesie on his way home. He knew it was premature to be buying the baby anything, but he wanted Brennan to know how happy he was. He thought she would appreciate the tiny outfit. He had specifically picked one out that was gender neutral. Tears formed in Brennan's eyes. She tried to blink them away, but one escaped down her cheek.

"What? What is it?" Booth asked, afraid that he had done something wrong.

"Human chorionic gonadotropin."

"Excuse me?"

"HCG. It's the hormone during pregnancy which is often the cause of illness and emotional changes."

"Ok, so besides the hormones, what's wrong? He pointed to another tear that was forming in the corner of her eye. "Is it the outfit? Because I can return it."

"No, it's not that. It's…cute."

"So…what is it?"

"I'm highly intelligent," she stated.

"Yes, I've known that for quite some time, but that can't be why you're crying."

"You're an amazing father. You think about the things like picking out cute outfits with ducks on them. And the way you are with Parker, it's…it's effortless."

"Bones…"

"I...I can rebuild a skeleton and identify thousand year old remains, but what if I'm not a good mother? I didn't even know what this was. I didn't even know what babies wear. What if I'm not meant to be a mother? I mean, it's not like I had the best role models for parents. What if I can't do it, Booth?"

Booth put his hand under her chin, and cupped her cheek with his palm.

"You are going to be an excellent mother. I see the way you are with Parker, Bones. You're a natural. It's normal to be scared, but you are going to be amazing. And we are going to do this together. You have nothing to be afraid of. You are going to be the best mother there is."

"That's an impossible claim to substantiate."

"Some things don't need to be substantiated." He kissed her.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

She handed him the pickle jar. "Could you open this for me?" He smiled, opened the jar, and fed her a pickle. "Want to watch this with me?"

"Are you going to talk through it the whole time, pointing out the inaccuracies?"

"Most likely."

He smiled. "Then yes, I would love to watch it with you."

Booth put his arm around her shoulder as she rested her head against his shoulder and munched on another pickle.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Saturday

11:46 PM

Brennan stared at her salad, pushing a slice of cucumber around with her fork. Her stomach was feeling nauseous, but it had nothing to do with morning sickness. She looked out the diner window and saw Booth standing on the sidewalk. He was bent over, talking to Rebecca who was sitting in her car. Parker was standing beside Booth. The little boy turned and saw Brennan through the window. He began to wave frantically. Brennan waved back. She watched Parker pull on Booth's sleeve. He must have asked permission to go inside because within seconds, Parker had bolted to the door and was throwing himself into Brennan's arms.

"Hey Bones," Parker said.

Brennan gave Parker a kiss on the top of his head and hugged him. "Hi Parker." Her nausea partially disappeared. She had been nervous about telling Parker about being pregnant, but seeing his smiling face made most of her nerves go away.

"Dad is still talking to mom."

"I noticed." Brennan looked out the window and was surprised to see Booth still talking to Rebecca. They had made the decision to tell Parker first at the diner and then to tell Rebecca after when she came to pick him up. Brennan felt it was important to be part of the conversation with Rebecca, but they both wanted to tell Parker first.

"Why are you eating a salad when this place has the best burgers?" Parker asked.

"You know that I don't eat meat, Parker."

Parker wrinkled his nose. "Right. That's weird."

"If you knew what was put inside the processed meats that make up hamburgers, you might not…"

"Alright, stop talking before you scare the kid from ever eating meat again," Booth said, sitting down across from Brennan and Parker. "So, what'll it be, bud?"

"Salad," Parker answered.

Booth rolled his eyes. "You don't like salad, Parker," Booth reminded him.

"But Bones eats salads and she's smart. I want to be smart like her."

"Yeah, well I eat burgers and I'm big and strong," Booth said with a smile on her face. He flexed his arms teasingly as if to prove his point.

"Eating burgers has nothing to do with you being big and strong just as eating salad has nothing to do with me being smart, Parker," Brennan stated. "As matter of fact, food has…"

"Bones…" Booth said, cutting her off. They did not need a lesson on the history of food. Brennan stabbed the cucumber on her salad and chomped on it. "Just…pick something, Parker."

"Chicken fingers," Parker said matter of factly.

"Chicken fingers it is."

Booth called the waitress over and ordered himself a burger and Parker some chicken fingers. He made sure to order extra fries, knowing that Brennan would spend half the time picking off his plate. As soon as the waitress went away to put in their order, Booth reached across the table and put his hand over Brennan's. He looked at her and winked. She knew that it was time they tell Parker their big news.

"Parker, we have something we'd like to tell you," Booth said. "Something important."

"Wait, you're not getting divorced are you?" Parker asked. "Because Joey's parents told him they had something important to tell him and then they got divorced. Now he has two houses and since I already have two houses, I would have three houses, which would be a lot of houses and…"

"We're not getting divorced, Parker. Bones and I love each other very much."

"And we love you very much," Brennan added. She and Booth had talked at length about the best way to tell Parker. Brennan had spent the morning reading articles about the best way to break big news to young children.

"Ok, what is going on?" Parker asked, looking at Booth.

"Bones and I are…having a baby." There was a long pause. Brennan felt the nausea returning full force. "Well, what do you think?"

"So there's like a baby growing inside Bones right now?" Parker asked, staring at Brennan's stomach.

"Well, it's not a baby yet, Parker," Brennan explained "It's just a…"

"Yes, Parker," Booth interrupted. "But it will be a little while before the baby is born."

"Am I going to have to change dirty diapers when it is born?" Parker asked.

"I think Bones and I can handle the dirty diapers," Booth answered.

"Ok, then that's cool. Where are my chicken fingers?"

Booth looked at Brennan, raising his eyebrow. They were both surprised at how well Parker was taking the news.

"Do you have anything else to say? Any questions?" Booth asked.

"I guess just one. Did you and Bones have sex?"

Booth nearly choked on the water he was drinking. Brennan, on the other hand, didn't skip a beat.

"Yes, Parker, that is how babies are created. Well, there's a lot more science to it than that, but I believe your father wouldn't want me to tell you all of that just yet."

"Eww. Sex is gross."

"Parker!" Booth exclaimed.

"Not that you're gross, Bones, because you're not, but…ewww." Parker repeated. "Dad, can I go check on my chicken fingers?"

Booth nodded, unable to do anything else. He couldn't believe that his son even knew what sex was.

"He took that rather well," Brennan said, taking a bite of her salad. Booth didn't respond. "Booth? You look pale."

"I'm…I'm fine."

Brennan squeezed Booth's hands. "Just because you have difficulty talking about sex, Booth, doesn't mean that your son has to share that same feeling."

"I do not have difficulty talking about sex," Booth said under his breath.

"Mm-hmm."

Parker returned with his chicken fingers.

"Can we name him Ralph?" Parker asked, chomping into a chicken finger.

"Who?" Booth asked.

"The baby. Timmy named his dog Ralph. I like it. I think we should name the baby Ralph."

"We'll talk about it," Booth replied. "Besides, what if it's a girl?"

"Eww! Who wants a girl? Baby sisters aren't any fun."

"Well, we don't exactly get to decide, Parker. Whether it's a boy or a girl, we are all going to love him or her."

"Booth, it is your y chromosome that decides the sex of the baby."

"The baby has to have sex?" Parker asked, his eyes wide.

"No, Parker," Booth answered quickly. "Bones is talking about whether the baby is a boy or girl."

"I thought you said you don't get to decide whether the baby is a boy or girl, dad, but Bones just said that it's up to you. So, if you get to decide, please decide to have a boy. Girls are yucky. Except for you, Bones. You're not yucky."

"Well, thank you, Parker."

"Eat your chicken fingers," Booth commanded, ruffling Parker's hair.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Parker asked with his mouth full of chicken.

"Well, Bones and I were thinking maybe a trip to the zoo."

"I love the zoo!" Parker shouted, practically spraying the chicken that was in his mouth all over Booth.

"Did I say the zoo? I meant the art museum," Booth teased.

"Dad!"

Booth smiled and winked at Brennan.

2:09 PM

Parker ran down the wooded path, his hand gripping a grey, stuffed elephant that Brennan had bought him despite Booth's protests that the boy didn't need to get everything he wanted. Brennan told him that it was ok to spoil him every once and while. Brennan and Booth were walking right behind Parker, holding hands. As they came to a clearing, Parker spotted the elephants that were just yards in front of them blocked only by a short fence. Parker ran up to the fence and stared at the animals as they walked around their exhibit. There were three elephants in the large enclosure. Booth and Brennan stood back, letting Parker and the other children have a front row seat to the magnificent animals.

"Dad, look!" Parker shouted, pointing to a zoo keeper who was walking into the exhibit. The zoo keeper held out some hay. One of the elephants walked over to him and curled his trunk around the hay. He threw the hay into his mouth and then put his trunk out once more as if he wanted more.

"Wow, that's pretty cool that he can be so close like that," Booth said.

"I wish I could do that," Parker replied.

"Well, grow up to be a zookeeper or veterinarian and maybe you will," Booth said. "You can do anything you want to do, buddy."

"Well, I did want to be a FBI agent like you, but this is pretty cool. I want to work with elephants."

"Keep in mind if you want to work with animals, you will have to clean up their poop," Booth reminded him.

Parker scrunched up his nose and then shrugged. "It's still cool," he said, looking back at the animals.

Brennan look at Parker's smiling face as he stood watching the animals and the zookeeper in amazement. She squeezed Booth's hand.

"I'll be right back," she said.

Booth nodded and Brennan walked away. He followed her with his eyes, wondering where she was going. When she disappeared down the path, he put his eyes back on Parker. He walked over to his son and put his hands on his shoulder.

"Looks like it's time for their bath," Booth said, pointing to the zookeeper. The man had picked up a hose and was beginning to wet down the elephants.

"Cool!" Parker exclaimed.

They stood and watched for nearly fifteen minutes as the zookeeper began to scrub down one of the three elephants with a long scrub brush.

"Can we go see something else?" Parker asked.

"I think this is pretty exciting," Booth replied.

"It would be more exciting if we could be in there with them," Parker said.

"Maybe someday, bud. Let's wait a few more minutes. We have to wait for Bones."

"Bones is right here," Brennan said as she walked up behind them.

"Where'd you go?" Booth asked.

"Oh, just the bathroom."

"You feeling ok?"

"Fine. There was just a long line."

Booth studied her face and knew immediately that she was lying. He let it go, but only because Parker was tugging at his hand.

"Look, dad the zookeeper's coming closer," Parker said.

The zookeeper walked up to the edge of the fence and right over to where Parker was standing.

"Hey buddy. Your name's Parker, right?" The man asked.

Parker looked back at his father, asking for permission as to whether he should talk to the stranger even though he desperately wanted to. Booth nodded.

"Yeah."

"Do you like elephants, Parker?"

"They're my favorite."

"Well, how would you like to feed an elephant?"

Parker's eyes opened wide. "Really?"

"Really. If it's ok with your dad."

Parker turned around and clasped his hands together. "Please, dad? Please!" He begged.

"Of course."

Parker jumped up. "Yes!"

He reached his hand over the fence. "My name's Jim. How about you meet me around back? I think your mom knows where it is."

Parker nodded and grabbed Booth's hand. "Come on, dad!" He began to lead them back down the path so that they could go to the back of exhibit. As they walked, Booth looked over at Brennan who was smiling.

"What did you do?" He asked.

"I told you, I went to the bathroom," she said with a smirk.

"You're a bad liar."

"I am not."

"Yes you are."

Brennan smiled. "Well, perhaps I did stop on my way to the bathroom."

"Oh?"

"I remembered that a colleague from my doctorate program worked here doing research. I simply mentioned his name and then introduced myself as Dr. Temperance Brennan, the best selling novelist and they said they'd be able to do something special for me and my family. Apparently Jim is a big fan of my books."

"You're amazing," Booth said, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

Brennan led them to the back entrance of the elephant exhibit. Jim met them there. After explaining a few safety rules to Parker, he took him by the hand and led him into the exhibit.

"We've got three elephants, Parker. They're all girls. Want to know their names?"

"Bones already told me. She read it off the sign. Ginny, Alice, and…" Parker recited, trying to remember what Bones had told him.

"Kate," Jim finished. "Nice job."

Booth and Brennan watched from the corner of the exhibit as Parker held out some hay and one of the elephants came over to eat it. The smile on Parker's face couldn't have been bigger.

"You know what else we feed the elephants?" Jim asked.

Parker shook his head in amazement that he was even in the exhibit feeding an elephant.

"Bread," Jim explained. He walked over to a plastic box that was where Booth and Brennan were standing. He pulled out a loaf of bread and then went back to where Parker was standing in the middle of the exhibit. All the parents and children standing on the other side of the fence were chattering with excitement. The man handed the bread to Parker.

"Just take a big chunk off and hold it out flat on your hand like this." Jim put his hand out flat to show Parker what he meant. "Just be warned, it might tickle."

Parker did as he was told. He ripped off a large piece of bread and placed it flat on his palm. The elephant that had eaten the hay approached him. She reached out with her trunk and took the bread right off of Parker's hand. He laughed as the hair on the end of her trunk tickled him. Parker turned around to show his hand to Booth.

"Dad, she slimed on me!" Parker squealed.

"That's pretty gross, bud," Booth said with a smile.

"Want to help me give them a bath?" Jim asked.

"Yeah!"

Booth stood behind Brennan and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder and kissed the side of her neck.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" He asked.

"Mhmm."

"Good, because I love you."

They watched Parker as Jim handed him the hose. With laughter filling the air, he aimed the hose at the elephant and began to hose her down.

"Do you have a preference?" Brennan asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Parker obviously wants a baby brother. Do you have a preference?"

"As long as he or she is healthy, Bones, it doesn't matter."

"I read that that is a normal response."

"Do you have a preference?" He asked.

"I also read that girls can be more difficult when they enter their teenage years."

"Does that mean you want a boy?"

"Not necessarily. I think with the right parenting, it doesn't matter whether it is a boy or girl."

"I think you're right, but I change my answer."  
"Oh?"

"I will be happy as long as our baby is healthy, but I do have a preference."

"Which is?"

"I want a little girl. But…she's not dating until she's thirty."

"That seems a little extreme."

"Trust me, you might feel differently when she arrives."

"If it's a she."

"Right. Do you want to find out what sex the baby is before it arrives?"

"I don't know."

"That surprises me."

"Why?"

"Because you always want to be in control of everything. You always want to know everything that's going to happen. You don't like surprises."

"Do you want to know?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Did you find out with Parker?"

"Yes, but that was a very different situation. I think this time I'd like it to be a surprise."

"Then let's keep it a surprise."

He kissed the top of her head. "Ok."

Author's Note: I couldn't resist writing this chapter. My first job was working at a zoo (and yes, the elephants really do eat bread) so I just had to add it in somewhere. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There will be some more drama to come very soon!


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

5 Months Later

Wednesday

3:31 AM

The ringing of a phone pulled Brennan out of her unconsciousness. With her eyes closed, she reached for her cell phone on the nightstand. She picked the phone up and blearily opened one eye to look at the screen. It was blank. Brennan realized it wasn't her phone that was ringing. She dropped it back on the nightstand. If it wasn't her phone, it could only mean one thing. Brennan nudged her sleeping husband. When he didn't move, she kicked him in the calf.

"Booth," she groaned.

He was still sound asleep despite the fact that his phone was ringing just beside him. Brennan envied his ability to sleep through just about anything. She, on the other hand, was a light sleeper. The slightest sound awakened her and it had only gotten worse since she became pregnant.

As Brennan was about to climb over him and answer his phone herself, it stopped ringing. She was grateful. Knowing that it could be important, she thought about reaching over him to look at who called, but she didn't. Finding a comfortable sleeping position with her pregnant stomach was difficult enough without getting out of bed just to check his phone and then trying to get comfortable again.

Since she was awake, though, Brennan took the opportunity to snuggle against him and rest her head on his shoulder. Her left hand came to rest on his chest, her right hand on her own, protruding stomach. She sighed and closed her eyes, hoping she would be able to fall asleep quickly. Within two minutes, Booth's phone began to ring again. This time Brennan's eyes sprang open. She slugged Booth in the arm.

"Answer your phone!" She practically yelled. She shoved him, but was barely able to move him. He moaned in response. "Booth!" Finally hearing the phone, Booth reached for it. He almost knocked it off the table before he got a grip on it and brought it to his hear. He didn't even bother looking to see who it was. Brennan rolled back over away from him, trying to fall back asleep.

"Booth," he mumbled.

"This is a collect call from Jared Booth in King County jail in Seattle, Washington. Do you accept the charges?"

As Booth processed the message, he sat up. "Yes," he said.

There was a few second pause. Booth ran his hands over his tired eyes. He knew he was going to have to be awake for the conversation he was about to have.

"Seeley?" Jared said through the phone.

"Jared? What the hell is going on?" Booth questioned angrily.

"Look, there's been a mistake."

"What are you talking about? What are you doing in jail?"

"I told you, there's been a mistake."

"Yeah, it's always a mistake with you."

Listening to Booth's side of the conversation, Brennan opened her eyes and sat up next to Booth. She put her hand casually on his arm and looked in his eyes. She could see his anger.

"Listen to me, Seeley. They found a body and they're saying I killed him," Jared continued.

"And why would they say that?"

"There's some…evidence."

Booth shook his head in disbelief. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. He walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Brennan was left sitting alone on the bed. She glanced over at the clock. She and Booth had only been home for two hours. They had been working late at Booth's office wrapping up their latest case and she was not happy about it.

Brennan waited a few minutes before her curiosity got the best of her. She knew that she wouldn't be able to go to sleep knowing that Booth was so upset. She got out of bed, grabbed her robe out of her closet, and walked into the hallway. She could hear Booth's faint voice coming from downstairs. She followed the sound of his voice into the kitchen. He was standing with his back towards her, leaning on the counter.

"I can't believe you!" Booth shouted. "Forget it, Jared. Get yourself out of your own mess!" Booth slammed his phone shut and stood, clenching and unclenching his fists. Brennan walked up behind him and put her arms around him. She kissed the back of his neck.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

He turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Forget it. Let's go back to bed."

Brennan shook her head. "You always tell me to talk about things when something's bothering me. Talk to me, Booth." He shook his head and she could still see the anger in his eyes. "It was Jared, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. He screws up again and he thinks I can just go in and magically fix everything."

"What happened?"

"He's in jail."

"For what?"

"Murder."  
"What?" Brennan asked, surprised. She knew Jared had his share of problems, but she never thought he could take someone else's life.

"Some witnesses say they saw Jared get into a fight with some guy over a girl. The guy turned up dead in the middle of the woods," Booth explained. He sighed. He closed his eyes, trying to process everything he had just been told. When he opened his eyes again, Booth looked down at Brennan's stomach. He put his hand on it. Seeing Brennan's pregnant stomach calmed him. It reminded him that no matter what happened, he would always have his family.

"Do they have evidence?" Brennan asked.

Booth met her eyes.

"Jared's fingerprints are everywhere. He had motive, he has no alibi, and they're saying he had the murder weapon."

"What does Jared say?"

"He's denying it, of course."

"What did he want from you?"

"To go there and prove that it wasn't him."

"Where is he?"

"Washington"

"Oh, well then it shouldn't be too much trouble for us to take a look at the evidence for him."

"Washington state," Booth clarified. "I'm not going."

He headed for the stairs to go back to the bedroom. He was exhausted and hearing Jared's news was starting to give him a massive headache.

"What do you mean, you're not going?" Brennan asked, following him.

"Just like I told him, he can dig himself out of his own mess. I'm tired of fixing everything for him. He needs to grow up."

"You don't know honestly believe that Jared killed a man, do you?"

Booth walked into the bedroom and got into bed. Brennan stood beside him.

"I don't know. All I know is, I am going to bed."

"Booth.'

"Bones, this conversation is over."

As if to prove his point, Booth closed his eyes and rolled away from her. Sighing, Brennan walked around the bed and crawled onto her side. She purposely left distance between her and Booth on the bed. She stared at the ceiling, her hand rubbing her stomach.

"I love my brother, Booth," she said after several moments of silence. Booth didn't move or respond in any way. "But every once and a while, I stop and think how life would have been different if my brother had been there for me when my parents left. He made a choice that he couldn't care for me so he sent me in foster care." Booth opened his eyes and looked at her. She was still staring straight up at the ceiling. He knew it wasn't easy for her to talk about what had happened to her. "I don't blame him, but I think about it, Booth and I wonder if he made the wrong choice. I wonder if…if he had been there for me, maybe I…maybe I wouldn't be this way."

"What way?" Booth asked.

"Detached. Unable to sense emotions or compassion or…"

Booth scooted closer to her and leaned on his elbows so he was looking down at her.

"You are not detached. You are loving and compassionate and I love you. I love everything about you."

"I know. I still wonder…" She trailed off. "My brother wasn't there for me, Booth. Don't make the same mistake with your brother." She finally looked into his eyes and trailed her finger down his cheek. Booth flopped onto his back, taking a deep breath.

"He's got to learn to do it on his own."

"He's your brother."

"I can't leave you."

"What?"

"To go to Washington. I can't leave you like this." Booth put his hand on Brennan's stomach.

"Booth, I'm pregnant. I'm not an invalid."

"I know that."

"It's not like you're going to miss the birth. Although historically in our culture and in many other cultures, men are not permitted to be with their wives when they're giving birth, so even if I were close to giving birth, you wouldn't be…"

"I am going to be there when you have our baby, Bones. I promise you, nothing is going to prevent that."

"There's still no reason why you shouldn't go to Washington. I would go with you…"

"You're pregnant, Bones. You are not coming."

"If you would have let me finish, I was going to say that since I'm entering my third trimester, I really shouldn't be flying. But you can send me the evidence to the lab and I will do my best to help you and Jared."

"Is this because you kissed him?" Booth asked with a slight smirk.

"No. I want to help him because he is your brother. That logic doesn't make sense, Booth. I've kissed many people, Booth. I don't help every person I've kissed."

"I was kidding, Bones. And can we not talk about all the people you've kissed?"

"Why? I am perfectly comfortable with talking about all the people you've kissed."

"Yeah, well we're not going to do that either. Besides, all that's important is that you are the last person I am ever going to kiss."

He pressed his lips against her as if to prove it to her. He let himself enjoy the kiss for several seconds before he parted. He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to find the first flight to Washington."

He turned back to look at her. Lying on their bed with her swollen stomach protruding from her tank top, she looked more beautiful to him than when they first met.

"I still don't like the thought of leaving you."

"I'm fine."

"That's what you always say."

He kissed her again before heading off to find his laptop.

9:18 AM

Booth helped Brennan out of her coat as she sat down at her desk. He walked across her office and hung it on the coat rack she had in the corner. Brennan immediately turned on her computer and began going through the twenty e-mails she had received just in eight hours since she had last checked her e-mail.

"I'll be right back," Booth said.

Brennan was too busy responding to an e-mail about buying a new electro spectrometer to pay attention to him. Booth walked out of her office and across the lab to Angela's office. She was sitting at her desk on her own computer, most likely doing the same thing that Brennan was doing.

"Hey Angela," Booth said from the doorway.

"Hey Booth. What are you doing here? I thought you and Brennan wrapped up the case last night."

"Yeah, we did. Look, can I talk to you and Cam?"

Angela furrowed her brow. "Of course. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I just have a favor to ask you both."

"Ok."

Booth motioned with his hand for Angela to follow him. She stood up from her desk and walked out after him. They both headed for Cam's office.

"What does everyone check their e-mail first thing in the morning?" Booth asked as he walked in Cam's office and saw her sitting at her computer.

"If you don't check your e-mail, you don't know what's going on around here," Cam answered. "What's going on?"

"Booth has a favor to ask us," Angela said, perching herself against Cam's desk.

"Jared's in trouble," Booth explained.

"What kind of trouble?" Cam asked.

He took a deep breath. "He's in Seattle. A jail in Seattle."

"Jail?" Angela said.

"Yeah. Long story short, they've got him on suspicion of murder."

"What? Jared would never take someone else's life," Cam stated.

"Yeah, well that's why I'm going there to help prove his innocence," Booth explained.

"And you want to send us the evidence for us to look at?" Cam asked.

"Well, that might become necessary, but what I was going to ask you is if you would keep an eye on Bones. You know her, she'll forget to eat and to sleep and I just need to make sure that someone is looking out for her."

"Of course," Angela replied.

"But you can't let her know that I asked you to look out for her."

"Right," Cam agreed. "We'll do our best. You know how stubborn she can be."

"Yeah, and the hormones don't help any," Angela added.

Booth smiled. He had been on the wrong side of her hormones several times.

"Thanks. I'm flying out in a few hours. I don't know how long I'll be there, but I will be back as soon as I can."

"Tell Jared if there's anything we can do…" Cam began.

"I will. Thanks."

"Good luck, Booth," Angela said.

Booth nodded and headed back to Brennan's office. He felt better about leaving her knowing that he had people to look after her. Brennan was still at her computer by the time Booth returned to her office. He walked over to her desk and offered her his hand. She put her small hand in his and he pulled her to her feet.

"I'm going to head out. I want to stop by my office and wrap up a few things before I leave."

"Ok. Send us samples, video, anything you need us to look at," Brennan said.

"I will. Don't forget to take care of yourself, Bones."

"I do know how to take care of myself, Booth."

"I know you do, but now you're taking care of you and our baby."

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's not a baby yet?"

He put his hand on her stomach. "It's a baby. It's our baby. I love you. I'll call you when I land."

She nodded. "I love you too."

Booth leaned in and kissed her deeply, knowing that it would be a while before he would get to kiss her again. It was just one of the things that he would greatly miss.

He bent over so his head was level with her stomach. He lightly kissed her belly. "Take care of your mother," he said quietly.

"Booth, you know that the fetus can't hear you."

"Just let me have this one, Bones."

She shook her head, not understanding why he was talking to her stomach, but she let him.

"I love you," he said to her stomach. He stood straight up and kissed Brennan once more. "And I love you."

"I'll talk to you soon," she said.

"Bye," he replied.

With one last look, Booth walked out of her office.

Author's Note: So, I just had to post this chapter today because, after seeing the season finale, I am not very happy. All I can say is thank goodness there's fanfiction! It's going to be a long summer without any new episodes! Thank you to all of my readers. I hope my story can help make that summer stretch a little bit shorter!


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Wednesday

5:52 PM

Booth sat on the uncomfortable, bright orange plastic chair, drumming his fingers on the table. He was alone in the large room and knew that the only reason he was being allowed in there was because he was a federal agent. Visiting hours at the jail had ended hours before. As soon as he had gotten off the plane in Washington, Booth had stopped to talk to the police officer who arrested Jared before he went to the prison. Not only did he want to get all of the evidence against his brother first, but he also wanted his brother to sit in jail and sweat it out. Booth hadn't told Jared that he had changed his mind and that he was coming. If it wasn't for Brennan, he wouldn't have changed his mind at all. He would have left it up to the law and order system that he trusted in so much to determine Jared's fate.

The steel door leading to the visitor room was opened. Jared shuffled in wearing an orange jumpsuit, his hands bound with handcuffs. He had two male corrections officers on either side, leading him to the chair opposite Booth. Jared smiled when he saw his brother.

"I didn't think you were coming," Jared said as he was forced into the chair. The two officers stepped back, standing against the walls nearby.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Bones."

"How is Temperance?" Jared asked.

"She's doing fine."

"And the baby?"

"If you wanted to know about my wife and my child, you could have picked up the phone, Jared. You didn't have to get arrested and make me fly across the country leaving my pregnant wife home alone."

"Well, I guess I should say thank you then."

"Yeah, you should."

"If you didn't want to come, Seeley, you shouldn't have come."

"Fine." Booth stood up, obviously aggravated. "Then I'll walk out of here and go back home to my wife and leave you here to serve life prison. Or better yet, Washington does have the death penalty doesn't it?"

"Alright, I'm sorry." Jared hung his head and sighed. "You're my brother. Who else was I supposed to call? What else was I supposed to do?"

"Why don't you start by telling me what happened."

"I know you, Seeley, you already talked to the cops. You know what happened. You've got the evidence."

"I want to hear it from you. Let's start with what you're doing in Seattle in the first place."

Jared looked down at his cuffed hands, which were resting on the table. "There's this girl." Booth rolled his eyes, but chose not to say anything. "We met when I was in India. She's originally from Seattle so I came here with her."

"When was this?"

"A month ago? Maybe three weeks."

"How long did you know her before you decided to move across the country with her?"

"Is that really relevant?"

"Do you want my help or not?"

"Ten days," Jared admitted.

"You knew a girl for ten days and you moved in with her?"  
"Don't judge me, Seeley. How long did it take you to get Temperance into bed with you?"

Booth clenched his teeth. "Watch it."

"All I'm saying is, unlike you, I'm not waiting years to be with the woman I love."

Booth scoffed. "Love? You think you really love this girl?"

"Are you going to let me talk or are you going to continue to judge me?"

"Fine. Go ahead."

"So, we came back to Seattle, starting living together. Things were going really well. She said she was a law student, top of her class. She's smart, beautiful, but with expensive taste. So, I start buying her things. You know, jewelry, clothes, a car."

"You bought her a car?"

"It was a present because I thought she passed her bar exam. Of course, I eventually found out that she wasn't a law student at all and that all that time I thought she was studying, she was two-timing me."

"How'd you find out?"

"I read some of her text messages. I found out that she's got another apartment, another guy, a whole other life. She wasn't a law student. Her job is getting guys to fall for her and getting what she wants from them."

"Let me guess, this other guy's name is Peter Kelly," Booth said, remembering the victim's name from the police report.

"Yeah. Two days after I find out that she's with him, I find out this guy's name from an e-mail. I track him down at their apartment and we argue. I throw some punches and I left."

"According to two of the neighbors who heard the whole thing, sounds like it was more than a few punches."

"Fine, I was a little rough on him, but that was it. I left him very much alive. I'm not stupid, Seeley."

Booth chose not to comment. "Then what did you do?"

"I left. I went back to my place and packed up my things and left."

"What about the girl?"

"She split. No idea where she is."

"Well, Peter Kelly was found dead in Anderson state park. One shot through the heart. Bullet went right through and out the other side. He wasn't killed there. He was killed somewhere else and dumped there."

"It wasn't me, Seeley."

"The bullet hasn't been found yet so ballistics can't be done, but they can tell that the bullet was from a small handgun. You have a 22 registered to you."

"It wasn't my gun."

"I'm not saying that it was. I'm just telling you the evidence they have against you. They found the victim's blood in the front seat of your car."

"That's because we fought. I had his blood on my hands, Seeley. Let me ask you this. If you were going to dispose of a body, would you put it in the front seat?"

"I'm not the bad guy, Jared. You have to remember that. I'm telling you what the police see. Right now they've got a motive, witnesses who heard you two arguing, and DNA evidence in your car. It's not looking good."

"Well, can't Temperance and her lab buddies do some fancy test or something and prove my innocence?"

"Bones deals with bones. But, I was able to pull some strings and have some samples sent to the Jeffersonian. From the bullet wound, Hodgins might be able to tell exactly what kind of gun it was, but until we can find out where Kelly was killed before he was dumped in the forest, we don't have much to go on."

"So what do I do?"

Booth shook his head. "Knowing the connections they think you have on the outside, they won't let you out on bail because they think you'll split. My suggestion is to be on your best behavior, don't say anything to anyone. I'm going to do everything I can, but you have to do exactly as I say from here on out."

"You're not in charge of me, Seeley. You can't tell me what to do."

"Oh yeah? I'm telling you, Jared, if you don't like it my way, then I'm out of here. I have much better things I could be doing than sitting in here with you. I am trying to save your ass. Do we have an understanding?" Jared nodded, knowing he had no other choice. "Good. Tomorrow I'm going to see if I can find the place where the victim was shot. I'm also going to see if I can get the local police to take me to the crime scene to see if I can find anything and to send pictures to the Jeffersonian. Hopefully that will give us something." Booth stood up. "Right now I'm going to my hotel to call my wife. I'll let you know as soon as I have anything."

"Thanks Seeley. Thanks for…coming."

"Thank Bones. We're done here."

The guards approached Jared immediately. They hoisted him to his feet and led him out of the room. Booth sat back down. He had been tough with Jared, but it was the only way he knew how to be. He couldn't coddle Jared like they were little kids anymore. Sooner or later, the man was going to have to grow up.

8:01 PM

Booth hungrily chomped down on his burger, taking a big bite. He was starving. The food on the airplane over had barely satisfied him. He devoured the fast food burger in just a few bites and washed it down with a long swig of cold beer. As he reached for a French fry, Booth grabbed his cell phone. He speed dialed Brennan's number. He had called her when he first landed, but she had been busy identifying the remains of a Jane Doe from ten years earlier. They had only spoken for a few minutes. After seeing his brother in shackles in prison, Booth needed to talk to her. Within two rings, she answered.

"Hello," she said.

"Hey."

"How was your trip?"

"Fine."

"That doesn't sound very convincing."

"Ok. How's this? The airplane food was terrible, there was a crying baby in the back of the plane, my brother is already pissing me off, my back hurts, and I hate being away from you," he admitted.

"That seems much more accurate."

"Now it's my turn to ask you something, Bones, and I want to remind you that you are a bad liar."

"I'm not a bad liar."

"Yes you are. Now, are you at work or are you at home? No lying."

"I've been home for hours, Booth."

"No lying," he reminded her.

"I just got home an hour ago."

He looked at the clock. "It's 11 o'clock there, Bones."

"I was working on something very important."

"Uh-huh. Did you at least eat?"

"Yes."

"Enough?"

"Yes, Booth. I'm not a child."

"I know, but you are carrying our child. I just worry about you."

"I'm more worried about you."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Sweets says it can't be easy to see your bother in jail."

"You talked to Sweets?"

"He came by to give something to Cam. Angela told him about Jared."

"Ah…good old Angela."

"Angela's not old, Booth."

"I know she's not, Bones. It's an expression. Anyway, I'm ok, Bones. Really, I am. I sent some samples to the Jeffersonian. They should be there by tomorrow morning. No bones, though, sorry."

"I'll make sure that Cam and Hodgins test the samples first thing. Have you found anything yet?"

"All the evidence is circumstantial. I'm going to look for the location where the victim was shot. I think that's the only chance we've got of clearing Jared for this."

"Do you think he did it?"

Booth sighed. He hadn't stopped thinking about that very question since he left the jail. "No. I don't think he did it."

"I miss you," she said.

Booth smiled. He always enjoyed it when Brennan said things like she missed him. It reminded him that she loved him and needed him just as much as he loved and needed her.

"How's our baby doing?"

"Booth, it's not a baby."

"Do we really need to have this argument right now?"

"It's not an argument. It's simple scientific fact. Any first year medical student could tell you that, Booth."

"How is it possible that something that you can be so indifferent about something that is growing inside of you?"

"Did you know that fetuses match the definition of a parasite? It's remarkable the similarities."

"That's…great, Bones," Booth said sarcastically. "I should go. There are some things I want to go over."

"I am rather tired myself," Brennan admitted.

"Then you should get your sleep. I'll call you tomorrow. Goodnight, Bones."

"Goodnight, Booth."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Booth waited until he heard Brennan hang up the phone. He ate another French fry and thought about how much he would rather have been sitting in bed with Brennan than in a lonely hotel room by himself, trying to figure out how to prove his brother's innocence.

Author's Note: Well, I know this wasn't the most exciting chapter, but it had to get written. Thanks for reading!


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Friday

2:37 PM

Hodgins stared at the photograph that was digitally being displayed on his computer screen. He zoomed in on the bullet wound and practically pressed his nose against the screen to get a better look. When he couldn't see what he wanted, he changed the angle of the photograph. Frustrated, he slammed his fist into the side of the computer and then immediately regretted it. He nursed his injured hand.

"Something wrong, Dr. Hodgins?" Cam asked as she walked into Hodgin's workroom.

"I can't do anything with these photographs. I need actual samples. I need to see the body to see if I can find any particulate in the wound. Without the bullet casing, we can't identify the kind of gun it was that shot Mr. Kelly, but if I could get my hands on the actual body, I could scrape the inside of the wound and see if the bullet left any particulates."

Cam held up an envelope that was in her hand. "Like this unidentifiable grey material that the coroner from Seattle pulled out of the wound?"

Hodgin's eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning. "Is that what's in the envelope?"

"It just arrived on my desk a minute ago."

Hodgins snatched the envelope out of Cam's hands. "Now this might get us somewhere."

He ripped the envelope open and dumped out a small, plastic container the size of a pill bottle. He grabbed a pair of latex gloves from his desk and pulled them over his hands. He carefully opened the container, took a pair of tweezers, and pulled out the small grey sliver that was inside.

"I'm impressed the coroner even looked for this," Hodgins said as he placed the sliver on a glass microscope slide.

"Booth asked him to check the wound."

"I guess after all these years, Booth finally learned something."

Hodgins slid the slide under his microscope and looked at the sliver magnified one thousand times.

"It's definitely a fragment of the bullet," Hodgins stated. "Give me a few minutes and I'll be able to tell you exactly what kind of bullet was used and maybe, if we're lucky, what kind of gun it came out of."

"Excellent. Have you seen Dr. Brennan?"

"Last I saw she was in the bone room looking at some old guy."

"Hasn't she been in there all morning?"

Hodgins shrugged. "Probably. You know Dr. Brennan. Without Booth here to keep an eye on her, she hasn't stopped working."

"Great. Booth is going to kill Angela and I."

"Why's that?"

"We promised we'd keep an eye on her while she was gone."

"Keep an eye on Dr. Brennan? Good luck with that."

"Yeah, thanks. Let me know when you find something."

"Will do Dr. S."

Cam walked out of the room and headed for the bone room. Cam found Brennan leaning over the metal table in the middle of the room. There was a partial skeleton laid out on the table. Brennan carefully picked up one of the ribs and examined it.

"Dr. Hodgins might have some useful information in Jared's case," Cam announced. "And I found some information about the blood in his car."

"I think I found out what killed this man," Brennan replied, talking about the skeleton she had in front of her. She placed the rib bone under the microscope camera to enlarge the image on the computer screen. She pointed to a small nick on the bone.

"This looks like a knife wound. This man was stabbed. And, if the trajectory of the knife was correct, it would have gone through the abdominal aorta, which would have caused the victim to bleed out."

Cam wondered if Brennan had even heard her. "How long has this victim been dead?" Cam asked.

"Sixty-nine years. He's a John Doe."

"Ah…well, maybe I can tear your attention away from Mr. John Doe so I can talk to you about Jared's case."

"I'm not involved in Jared's case. There are no bones to examine."

Cam nodded. "Well, he is your brother-in-law."

"And if there were bones involved, I would be investigating the case, but there are no bones so my expertise isn't needed."

"Maybe you could just get Booth on a conference call so we can share what we have with him."

"You could call him," Brennan said.

"You haven't taken a break all day, Dr. Brennan."

"I'm perfectly fine."

Brennan continued to work on examining the bones as Cam talked to her. It was true; Brennan hadn't stopped working all day. Cam thought back to the promise she had made Booth.

"Angela went out of her way to buy you lunch from the diner," Cam fibbed. It was true that she and Angela had gone to the diner for lunch and brought back lunch, but Angela certainly hadn't gone out of her way. Cam was simply trying to guilt Brennan into eating and taking a break.

"She didn't have to do that."

"Well, she did and it's in the refrigerator. It might hurt her feelings if you don't take a little break and eat."

"I wouldn't want to hurt Angela's feelings although it does seem illogical that it would hurt her feelings just because I chose not to eat lunch."

"Just…do it for Angela. And you could call Booth while you're at it. I am sure he will want to hear from you and then Hodgins and I can share our findings with him."

"I suppose that is logical." Brennan put down the bone she was holding and took off her gloves. "I will be in my office."

She headed off, leaving Cam alone in the bone room. Cam looked at the skeleton on the table, wondering how Brennan could have such a fascination with bones. For Cam, it was all about flesh. Shaking her head, Cam headed back to her own office to finish up some results before reporting to Booth.

Brennan stopped by the refrigerator and grabbed the salad Angela had bought her before going to her office. She sat at her desk and opened the Styrofoam container. She took a fork out of her drawer and drizzled the Italian dressing that was in a small packet onto the green lettuce. As she prepared her lunch, she got her computer ready to video chat with Booth. She checked to see if he was online, which he was. She turned on the built-in webcam. Immediately her screen was filled with an image of his hotel room, but she couldn't see him. The bed was unmade, covered with files and papers.

"Booth," she said, hoping he was somewhere in the room and that he hadn't just left his computer on.

Within a minute, Brennan saw Booth moving towards the computer on her screen. It took another few seconds before he was sitting in front and his face appeared in focus on the screen. The first thing Brennan noticed was that he looked exhausted and he hadn't shaved.

"Hey Bones. How are you feeling?"

"Why do you always ask me that?"

"Because you're pregnant and it's what you do when someone is pregnant."

"I had some discomfort this morning, but I feel fine now."

"Discomfort?"

"It's just cramping, Booth, it's normal."

"Maybe you should go home," he suggested.

"I told you, I'm fine now. It's you who doesn't look very good."

"Thanks a lot, Bones. I haven't really slept. I've been trying to go over all this evidence as thoroughly as I can. I don't want to be here a minute longer than I have to. I want to be home with you."

"I would like that very much as well."

"Did Cam or Hodgins find anything?"

"I believe they did, but they haven't shared their findings with me yet. They asked me to contact you so they can tell you everything. Cam was acting a little strange about it."

"Oh?"

"She told me if I didn't eat lunch, Angela would feel bad. That seems irrational."

"She's just…looking out for you, Bones," Booth said, not willing to admit that he had asked Cam and Angela to look out for her.

"Why?"

"You and Angela and Cam are friends, right?"

"Of course."

"Well, that's what friends do."

"Oh."

"You know what I was looking at this morning while I was waiting for the coroner's final report?"

"How am I supposed to guess what you were looking at? Is this like a game?"

"No, Bones, it's not a game. It's just…never mind. I was looking at baby names."

"What?"

"Baby names. You know, different names you can name your baby. We haven't really discussed baby names."

"That doesn't seem like a very productive use of time, Booth when your brother is in jail."

"Well, we're not all work-aholics like you. How do you feel about the name Elizabeth if it's a girl?"

"Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed killed over six hundred girls and young women in the late 1590's. I don't believe I would like to name our child after a serial killer," Brennan answered without skipping a beat.

"Oh…ok. So, no Elizabeth. How about Ivan if it's a boy?"

"Ivan the Terrible killed thousands of people in Russia, Booth. I really think you need to do your research before you think of these names."

"Bones, if all you think about when I say a name are the bad people who share that name, we'll never come up with a baby name. I don't think there are any completely pure names out there."

"I don't know of anyone named Seeley or Temperance in history who have committed heinous crimes."

"Well, we are not naming our son Seeley."

"What about Temperance?"

"It's not really…traditional for girls to share their mother's names."

"I already knew that, Booth. Studying culture is part of my expertise. Although I do agree with you. I don't think I would like it to have offspring with the same name as me."

"Tell you what, when I come back from Washington, I'll buy us one of those cheesy baby name books that tell you what the meaning of the name is and we'll pick from there."

"I don't see how that's necessary. I know the origins of most names, Booth."

"It's just…something that couples do."

"Is that what you did to pick Parker's name?"

"Well, no. Rebecca and I were kind of fighting at the time so she kind of picked Parker's name."

"In that case, if you would like to pick up a cheesy book as you say it, then I think it is a good idea."

He smiled. He knew she was only saying that because she wanted everything to be perfect for him because it wasn't perfect when he had Parker.

"Thanks Bones."

At that moment, Hodgins came bursting into Brennan's office. He practically ignored Brennan and ran straight over to her desk. He stepped right in front of where she was sitting and put his face in front of the web cam. Brennan pushed her chair back, giving Hodgins more room.

"Woah," Booth said as Brennan's face was replaced by Hodgin's on his screen. "What's up, Hodgins?"

"I ran some tests on that unidentified material found in the wound on our victim."

"What is it?" Booth asked.

"A lead alloy."

"It's what most bullets are made out of."

"That doesn't sound very helpful," Booth said.

"No, it's not, but what is helpful is not only was it made out of lead alloy, but there's a material on there that's not lead."

"What is it?"

"A combination of different metals. There are too many to mention, but those materials is what the barrels of guns are made out of. If I can get my hands on the gun they say Jared used, I can compare those materials to that gun. If they don't match, he's off the hook."

"Well, if they match, we can at least prove that that wasn't the gun he used."

"I think I can prove more than that," Cam said as she walked in. Her high heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to Brennan's desk. She stood shoulder to shoulder with Hodgins so she could be seen on the web cam. To get out of the way, Brennan stood from her chair and backed away.

"What did you find?" Booth asked.

"I analyzed the blood sample you sent me from Jared's car. The blood did belong to the victim."

"How does that help us?"

"It's what I didn't find. In the police report they said there were only very small smudges of blood on the steering well and a bloody fingerprint on the gear shift, which goes along with Jared's story of having the victim's blood on his hands from the fight."

"I'm lost," Booth admitted.

"If Jared had killed the man and put him in his car to dispose of him in the forest, there would be a lot more blood. If he had tried to clean up the blood, I would have been able to find cleaning elements in the sample. He didn't clean the car. There wasn't enough blood in the car for him to have had the body there."

"Doesn't mean that he didn't use something else to dispose of the body," Booth said.

"True, but it's a start," Cam said. "How is Jared doing?"

"I haven't talked to him since yesterday."

"What? Seeley, he's in jail. I think he could use a little support."

"I'm not here to hold his hand." Booth tried to look past Hodgins and Cam. "Where's Bones?"

They both turned around, but Brennan was nowhere to be seen. Feeling unneeded, she had left the room to go back to her skeleton. Her half eaten salad was still on her desk.

"So…think you can get me that gun?" Hodgins asked.

"I'll see what I can do."

"We'll keep you informed of what we find here," Cam said.

"Thanks. And don't forget to make sure Bones takes care of herself please."

"Of course."

"Thanks Cam."

Cam smiled before closing out the screen on the computer. She looked at the leftover salad on the desk and rolled her eyes. Taking care of Brennan was worse than taking care of a newborn.

"We need to find some evidence to get Jared out of jail soon."

"Why?"

"Because Dr. Brennan is going to drive me crazy."

Cam picked up the salad and headed off to find Brennan. She was going to make her eat the salad even if she had to force it down her throat.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Saturday

4:02 AM

Brennan rolled onto her side, hoping to get more comfortable. Cramps ran through her abdomen. They had started hours earlier when she was at work. She had been standing over the skeleton when one cramp so sharp hit her that she nearly dropped the femur bone she was looking at. She doubled over in pain, but it subsided within seconds. It wasn't until it happened to her a second time minutes later that she decided she should go home.

Once she had gotten home, the cramps hadn't stopped. Brennan took a warm bath and drank some herbal tea, but nothing was working to relieve the uncomfortable feeling. The pain had only gotten worse and more frequent since she had left work. She knew it was normal to have some abdominal pain, but she was beginning to feel like what she was feeling wasn't normal.

Brennan sat up, positioning her pillow behind her so that she was leaning against it. She took a deep breath and rubbed her stomach, trying to calm it. She thought about calling Booth, but she knew that it was one AM in Seattle and he was dealing with his own problems with his brother. She didn't want to worry him.

A wave of pain hit her. She doubled over and cried out. Breathing through the pain, Brennan managed to crawl out of bed. She put her hand on the bed to support her as she walked to the bathroom. Something was not right. Brennan could feel the blood running down her legs. She stumbled into the bathroom before it all went blank.

1:02 AM

Booth shot straight up, his body dripping with sweat. He threw the blankets off and climbed out of bed. In the darkness he staggered towards the sink that was outside of the bathroom. His throat was burning. He felt like he would literally catch on fire if he didn't have water. Booth grabbed a plastic cup wrapped in plastic. He tore at the plastic, trying to get to the trapped cup. When he didn't succeed, he threw the cup across the room. He turned on the faucet and cupped his hands underneath. He splashed the water on his face and then threw some of the cold liquid down his throat. He leaned on the edge of the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. The nightmare that had woken him left him shaken.

Booth tried to forget the awful thoughts that filled his mind. It was a nightmare that he had had before, but it had been a long time since he had last had it. In the nightmare he was back in the basement. Back in the basement where he found Brennan after she had been taken and tortured by Collin Brown. When he found her, he was too late. She was gone.

He looked at his fingertips, remembering what it felt like to put his fingers against Brennan's neck to find her pulse. In real life he had found one. In the dream, he hadn't. It felt so real. His heart was racing, his own pulse thumping so loudly he could hear it.

"Bones," he said out loud.

Any time he had the nightmare before, she had been there. Just like when she had her nightmares about her ordeal, she would hold him and they would cry and things would be alright. At that moment, standing in front of the mirror in his hotel room, Booth felt completely alone. He felt like he would never feel good again. He felt like he really had lost the most important person in his life.

Booth stood for a few more minutes, but just couldn't make the feeling of dread disappear. His body was shaking. He couldn't control it. Without a second thought, Booth raced across the room. He turned on the lamp above his bed, illuminating the room with yellow light. He frantically scanned the room for his cell phone. He thought he left it on the table next to the bed, but it wasn't there. He looked to the table on the other side of the room where his laptop was, but his phone wasn't there. He looked on the floor among the papers and folders that he had pushed off the bed without caring where they landed. It wasn't there either.

With his body still shaking, Booth picked up the hotel phone. He quickly read the directions on how to dial an outside number. After dialing incorrectly the first time, he finally managed to dial Brennan's cell phone number. It rang six times before her voice mail picked up.

"Damn it," Booth cursed.

He hung up the phone and dialed the number for a second time. Again, after six rings, it went to voicemail. Booth glanced at his clock and quickly figured out what time it would be in Washington DC. Booth knew the next number he dialed would be a long shot, but he had to know. He dialed Brennan's office number. It didn't even ring. Her voicemail picked up automatically as it did when the Jeffersonian was closed.

"Where are you Bones?"

Booth put the hotel phone back in the cradle, wondering what his next move should be. He began to pace the room, trying to shake the feeling that something was wrong. He tried to think like Brennan. She would tell him that he was being illogical and that, just because he couldn't reach her didn't mean that anything was wrong. She would tell him to stop worrying and to go back to bed because he needed his rest. Booth tried to let her voice tell him that everything was going to be ok, but he couldn't hear her voice. All he could concentrate on was that there was no pulse.

"Screw it."

Booth picked up the phone again and dialed.

4:18 AM

Angela grabbed the ringing cell phone. Squinting, she read the caller ID. It wasn't a number she recognized. Hodgins stirred beside her, letting out a groan. Not knowing who it was, Angela silenced the phone and threw it over the edge of the bed. It bounced as it hit the floor.

"Who was it?" Hodgins mumbled.

"No idea."

Angela threw the covers over her head as an attempt to go back to sleep. As she snuggled closer to Hodgins, another cell phone ring pierced the air. This time it was Hodgins who reached for his phone. He glanced at the caller ID, which he didn't recognize, and put it to his ear.

"Whatever you want, make it quick," he said.

"Hodgins, thank goodness. I thought something had happened to all of you."

"What? Who is this?"

"It's Booth."

"Booth?" Angela took the blankets off her head and looked over at Hodgins. "What time is it there?"

"It doesn't matter. Is Angela with you?"

"Yeah, she's right here."

"I need to talk to her."

"Ok."

Hodgins passed the phone to Angela. "It's Booth."

"Booth, what is going on?" Angela asked.

"I need you to check on Bones."

"What?" Still feeling groggy, Angela wanted to make sure she understood correctly what Booth was saying.

"I need you to check on Bones," he repeated.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. I…I just…I have a bad feeling. I had a…never mind. I tried calling her cell and her office. She's not picking up."

"Probably because she's sleeping."

"I know and if I'm wrong, I'll owe you one, but please, Angela. Please just check on her."

"You do realize that if I go to your house right now and she's sleeping, she will kill me and you then kill you when you get home because she will tell us both that she's capable of taking care of herself."

"I know. I just…I need to know. I hope I'm wrong, but please."

Angela knew she would agree to do whatever he asked before he begged her. "Fine."

"Do you still have the spare key Brennan gave you?"

"Yup."

"Have her call me as soon as you see her."

"Ok."

"Thanks, Angela."

Angela hung up the phone.

"What's going on?" Hodgins asked.

"Booth wants me to check on Brennan. He didn't sound good."

Angela quickly dialed Brennan's number.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling her. If she answers, we won't have to drag our asses out of bed and across town at four o'clock in the morning."

"We?"

"Yes, we."

Brennan's voicemail picked up.

"Brennan, it's Angela. You have twenty minutes to call me back and tell me you're not dead before Hodgins and I come over there and break down your door. Oh, and by the way, call your husband."

Angela tugged on Hodgin's arm.

"Come on."

3:22 AM

Booth paced back and forth in his hotel room, his cell phone in his hand. He had finally found it in his jacket pocket. Booth looked down at the screen as if maybe he had missed it ringing. Of course, he hadn't. His body had stopped shaking, but he still couldn't shake the bad feeling. Something wasn't right.

"Come on, Angela," he snarled.

It had been two hours since he had called Angela to check on Brennan. He hadn't heard from either of them.

Booth dialed Brennan's number for one seemed like the hundredth time. Just as every time before, she didn't answer. He then speed dialed Angela and subsequently Hodgins. Nobody was answering.

Booth knew everything was most likely fine. Brennan was probably locked up in the bone room working on some project and just hadn't kept track of the time. As for why Angela or Hodgins hadn't called him back was another issue. He guessed that they probably just fell back asleep and turned off their phones. That wasn't helping him feel better, though.

Booth could almost hear the speech Brennan was going to give him when he got home. She would yell at him for leaving over twenty voicemails and for waking up their friends in the middle of the night. She would tell him that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and that she didn't need him worrying about her. That was what Booth hoped she would say, but even that wasn't making him feel better.

Finally deciding he needed to turn to someone else, Booth began to dial Cam's number. As he was about to hit the send button, his phone began to ring. Booth frantically put it to his ear.

"Bones?"

"No, it's Angela."

"Angela, what's going on? I've been trying to call you for hours."

"I'm sorry…I…"

He knew immediately something was wrong. He could hear the sadness and fear in her words. Her voice was wavering.

"What's wrong?" Booth asked, his heart thumping wildly. He held his breath, waiting for Angela to answer.

"It's Brennan…she…"

He heard her sniffle.

"She what?" There was no answer. "Angela, please…"

"I found her on the bathroom floor. She was unconscious. There was blood." Booth felt his stomach drop. His knees buckled.

"Is she…" He couldn't finish the question.

"We're at the hospital. She's up in surgery."

"What happened? Angela, what happened?"

"They're saying she started bleeding and must have had some cramping and she went into the bathroom and she must have hit her head and knocked herself unconscious. They don't know how long she was there, but…they said if someone hadn't found her…she could have bled to death."

"Will she…is she going to be ok?"

Angela hesitated. "The doctors are hopeful, but I…I don't know."

Booth's legs gave out. He fell to the floor, thinking about Brennan lying on the floor completely alone. If he had been there, that wouldn't have happened.

"What about the baby?" He managed to say quietly.

"I…I don't know. They won't tell me anything. Booth, I…I think you should get here as soon as you can."

"I'm on my way. Tell her I love her. Tell her I'll be there soon and that I love her. Call me as soon as you know anything. Please."

"Of course."

"Could you stay…stay with her? Please. I don't want her to be alone."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Tell her I love her," he repeated.

"I will."

Booth hung up the phone. He couldn't move. His body was in shock. His mind was racing. All he could think about was that he could lose her. He could lose their baby. He could lose everything that he loved and the worst part was, he wasn't there.

Author's Note: I am so sorry for the delay in posting! Things have been so busy now that it is the end of the school year. If you are wondering about the time differences in this chapter, I did it because of the 3 hour time difference between Washington DC and Seattle. Thanks for reading!


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

7:37 AM

Booth gulped down his extra large, extra black coffee. He perched himself on the arm of a black, padded chair and then immediately stood up again. He couldn't sit. He was too tired and too on edge to sit. The only thing keeping him awake was the coffee he was consuming and the four coffees he had already had that morning. Booth was pretty sure the barista at the Starbucks in terminal six knew him by name. He had been at the airport for nearly four hours, waiting for his nine AM flight. It was the first flight he could find back to Washington DC. As soon as Booth had gotten off the phone with Angela, he grabbed his suitcase and walked out the door. He didn't bother to pick up the papers about Jared's case or even grab his toothbrush from the bathroom. He didn't care about anything except getting home.

Booth looked at his watch and moaned out loud. Time was dragging. He couldn't help but look at the time every few minutes and when he wasn't looking at the time, he was looking at the update board that said the flight was on time. Booth was pretty sure he would throw a fit if the flight were delayed. Even after only a few hours, he felt like he had been at the airport for days.

Booth took his cell phone out of his pocket. Just like the last time he checked his phone, there was no new message. His last correspondence with Angela had been a half hour before. Brennan was still in surgery. Angela still didn't know much except that Brennan was still alive. Booth was holding on to that fact with his whole heart. Booth was about to put his phone away when he knew that there was something he needed to do before he got on the plane. He walked away from the main terminal, deciding that the conversation he needed to have did not need to be held in front of a bunch of strangers. He found a quiet corner, drank more of his coffee, and then dialed the number for the prison. After going through a series of automated options, Booth finally got a person on the other end.

"King County Jail," the male voice said.

"My name is Agent Seeley Booth from the FBI. I need to speak to one of your prisoners, Jared Booth."

"We don't allow family phone calls until visiting hours."

"Did I mention I was an FBI agent and that I am sure if I get your superior on the line, he or she would be more than willing to let me talk to my brother?"

"Just a moment, sir."

Booth was out on hold while he waited for Jared. He finished off his coffee and threw it away while he waited.

"Seeley?" Jared said from the other line.

"Jared, look I…"

"Where the hell have you been? I have been sitting her waiting for you to work your magic and get me out of here and all I get is a phone call? What the hell, Seeley?"

"Don't you…"

"Don't what?"

"You have no idea what's been going on," Booth said solemnly.

"I have no idea? You have no idea! You have no idea what it's like to sit in here for a crime I didn't commit! You were supposed to come here to help me, Seeley!"

Had Booth been alone, he probably would have lost it. As it was, it was taking all of his effort to stay calm and not make a scene. He took the phone away from his ear, needing to take a few, calming breaths. When he felt like he was ready to speak again, he brought the phone back to his ear. He could hear Jared yelling his name into the phone.

"You listen to me!" Booth yelled. "My wife is in the hospital and I'm not there with her because I came here to help you!"

"What? What happened?"

"I don't know! I don't know because I'm here and not there with her!"

"Look, I'm sorry if something happened to Temperance and I hope that she's ok, but you made the choice to be here."

"Yeah, the wrong choice. Don't you get it, Jared? She's hurt! I could lose her! I could lose our baby! I could lose everything and it's all your fault!"

"You want to blame this on me, Seeley, go ahead, but you know that this isn't my fault." Booth chose not to say anything. He didn't trust himself to say something. "Where are you?"

"The airport."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm leaving. I'm going home to be with my wife."

"Seeley, I need you. I can't…"

"Go to hell."

Booth hung up the phone. He could feel the tears swarming his eyes. He wiped them away and headed towards the Starbucks. If he was going to make it, he needed more caffeine.

7:46 PM

Angela stood outside of the hospital doors, staring at her cell phone, waiting for it to ring. Booth had called her when he landed at the airport. According to his estimated time of arrival, he was due any second. Hodgins appeared behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him and took a deep breath.

"How am I supposed to tell him?" She asked.

"I don't know."

"He'll be heartbroken."

"You know, Angela you…you don't have to be the one to tell him. You can have him talk to the doctor."

She shook her head. "I'm her best friend. I'm his friend. I…I should be the one to tell him."

"Here he is."

Booth's taxi pulled up to the curb. The door opened before the taxi even came to a complete stop. Booth jumped out and rushed over to Angela, fear written all over his face.

"How is she?" Booth asked.

"She's in recovery from surgery. She's going to be ok, Booth."

Booth breathed a sigh of relief. He put his arms around Angela and held her. He needed to have human contact. He needed to be held.

"And the baby?" He asked quietly. He released her and took a step back. He already knew the answer to his question by the look on Angela's face.

"I'm so sorry, Booth." He let the information sink in, but he wouldn't let the sadness wash over him. He had to be strong for her.

"Where is she?"

"I'll take you to her."

Booth nodded, not making eye contact. He felt an emptiness in his heart, but he knew he had to focus on one thing and one thing only. He needed to be there for Brennan.

With Hodgins at her side, Angela led Booth into the hospital. They took the elevator to the fifth floor and then walked down a series of hallways. Angela finally stopped outside room five fifteen. He glanced in the room, but couldn't see anything through the curtains that were drawn around the hospital bed. For Booth it was an all too familiar scene. He felt like it was just yesterday that he had walked through a different hospital to see Brennan after Collin Brown had nearly ended her life. Only then it was different. Then, he had harbored unknown feelings for her. Today she was his wife and he didn't have to hold back.

"I'll find her doctor," Hodgins said. He put his hand reassuringly on Booth's shoulder before heading off to find Brennan's doctor.

"She's probably sleeping. The doctors gave her something to help her sleep. I haven't really talked to her at all. She's sort of been in and out. Do you want me to…go in with you?" Angela asked tentatively.

Booth shook his head. "No…I…I'd like to be alone."

"I'll be right outside."

Angela took a few steps away, giving him his space. Just as he did when he entered Brennan's room years earlier, Booth took a deep breath and walked into the room. He stopped in front of the curtain. He put his hand on it, ready to push it aside. Before he did, though, he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Please," he whispered. "Please."

He pulled the curtain aside and opened his eyes. His first thought was relief. Her fair skin wasn't covered with bruises. She wasn't scarred. She looked peaceful. If it weren't for the IV line coming from her arm, she would look like she was just sleeping. Booth walked to her bedside and leaned over her, kissing her on the forehead in his spot; the spot he had claimed for his own years earlier.

"I love you," he whispered against her ear.

He sat down beside her and took her hand in his. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. A tear fell from his eye, rolled down his cheek, and splashed on her arm. He looked at her stomach. Even with the blankets covering her, he could tell.

"I'm so sorry," he said quietly, letting his tears fall freely. "I love you."

He sat in silence, letting his tears fall, not bothering to wipe them away. He wasn't ashamed of them. He wished he could talk to her. He wished he could hear her voice. He needed to tell her that it was going to be ok. He needed to hear that it was going to be ok.

"Mr. Booth?"

Booth turned around. Angela was standing in the doorway. A middle-aged woman in blue scrubs and white lab coat stood in front of her.

"Yes," Booth said, standing up. He wiped the tears away from his eyes.

The woman approached him and shook his hand.

"I'm Dr. Kelly," the woman said. "I was your wife's surgeon."

"What happened?" Booth asked.

"Your wife suffered a uterine rupture, which means that the uterus has split. This causes severe cramping and bleeding. Due to blood loss, it appears as if your wife passed out in the bathroom. By the time she was brought into surgery, it was too late. We did everything we could to save the baby, but there was nothing we could do. We had to repair the uterus. We've given her something to help her sleep. I do expect her to make a full recovery, but she will be sore for quite a while."

Booth absorbed the information, trying to make sense of it all. "How did this happen? I mean, her pregnancy was going fine. The ultrasounds were normal."

"This isn't something that can be predicted, Mr. Booth. It's rare, but it happens. Women who have had previous surgeries on their uterus are more susceptible to this kind of miscarriage. I looked back at your wife's medical records. Several years ago, she had some repair work done to her uterus. That could have been a factor in her miscarriage, but there's no way to know for sure."

Booth felt as if someone had physically punched him. He slumped to his chair, unable to remain standing. It all came back to Collin Brown. If he hadn't taken her, if she hadn't had to have surgery to repair the damage that he had done, none of this would be happening. He wouldn't be sitting at his wife's bedside, mourning the loss of his unborn baby.

Dr. Kelly put her had on Booth's arm. "She will be ok," she assured him.

"If I had…if she had gotten to the hospital sooner, would you have been able to save the baby?"

"I can't say. These cases are always unique. Sometimes we can save both mother and baby. Sometimes we lose the baby and sometimes we lose both. I'm sorry I don't have the answers you want."

"Does she know? About the…about…?"

"About the miscarriage? Yes. She was conscious after surgery. She asked for us to explain to her exactly what happened."

Booth smiled. "That sounds like Bones."

"She will most likely sleep until morning. I'll be back to check on her in a few hours."

"Thank you." Dr. Kelly turned to walk away, but Booth had one more thing he needed to know. "What was it?"

"Excuse me?"

"The baby. We didn't find out the sex of the baby. What was it?"

"A girl."

Booth looked back at Brennan and took her hand in his once more. He was going to have his little girl and now she was gone.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Booth. We have…councilors if you're interesting in talking to someone."

"Thank you."

"I'll be back in a few hours."

Dr. Kelly left the room. Angela walked in quietly and stood next to Booth. She had tears in her eyes.

"Thank you, Angela," Booth finally said after several minutes of silence. "Thank you for being there for her…for us."

"That's what friends are for."

"If you hadn't been there. If you hadn't gone to check on her…she could be…"

"You're the one who knew, Booth. You knew something was wrong. You're the one who told me to check on her. You two have this connection. Brennan would never admit to it, but it's there. You saved her, Booth. You saved her." She emphasized the word you. She knew exactly what Booth was thinking.

"I should have been there."

"You can't blame yourself. She's going to be fine, Booth."

"No thanks to me. You heard what the doctor said, Angela. She had a miscarriage because of previous surgery. She only had that surgery because of him. It always comes back to him and how he ruined our lives."

"She's alive. That's all that matters."

Angela stood beside him for several more minutes. Neither of them spoke.

"I need to do this…alone," Booth said.

Angela nodded, understanding completely. "Hodgins and I are only a phone call away. So are Cam and Sweets. I'll come by tomorrow."

"Thank you."

Angela hugged him as best she could with him sitting, and walked back to where Hodgins was waiting in the hallway. Booth was left in the silence. He let the tears fall once again.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the great reviews from the last chapter. I know this chapter was a little depressing, but I couldn't make it all lovey-dovey. I crave the drama! Thanks for reading!


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Sunday

7:11 AM

Booth woke up when he felt his hand moving. His eyes sprang open and he immediately looked down at Brennan. Her eyes were still closed, but she was squeezing his hand. He squeezed her hand back.

"Bones," he said quietly.

Brennan slowly turned her head towards him and opened her eyes. It took a minute before he came into focus. He was smiling at her. She could see the stubble on his face, the weariness in his eyes, and the fear in his smile. He was the only one she could read so well.

"Booth…" she said quietly. Her voice sounded tired and strained.

"Hey." He leaned over her and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I love you." He needed those to be the first three words he said to her. Maybe it was because he hadn't said them in a while or because the last time he was staring down at her in a hospital bed, he wasn't allowed to say those words out loud to her, but either way, they needed to be said. He needed her to hear them.

"Wh…what are you doing here?"

"What?" He wondered if she was confused; if she remembered where she was.

"You should be in Seattle."

He shook his head. "I'm right where I should be. Bones, do you remember what happened?"

She knew what happened. She remembered all of it. She remembered the cramps and the blood and falling in the bathroom. She remembered being in the emergency room with machines beeping and doctors shouting. She remembered waking up from surgery and hearing the doctor tell her that they had done everything they could, but it just wasn't enough. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to remember that feeling ever again.

"What happened to Jared?"

"What?"

"Jared…is he still in prison? Were you able to find the evidence you needed to…"

"I don't want to talk about Jared. Bones, I've been here all night. I took the first flight I could get here to be with you. Talk to me."

"I had a miscarriage," she said simply. "I lost the fetus."

Booth cringed when he heard her use the word fetus. She spoke coldly, as if she had no feelings whatsoever.

"Bones…"

"I know you must be disappointed. I'm sorry."

"This isn't your fault," he said.

"I know. Although it is rare, uterine rupture causes miscarriages in women. I did nothing wrong."

Booth should have known that she would be so scientific about things. When she had come to check on Brennan in the middle of the night, Dr. Kelly had given him a pamphlet about miscarriages. It explained the causes of miscarriages and the physical side effects after suffering a miscarriage. It discussed how, after having a miscarriage, women often had a tendency to blame themselves and that the best way to get through it was to explain to them that it was not their fault. Booth mentally threw away everything he read in the pamphlet. None of it would help Brennan. She wasn't a typical patient.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said, not knowing what else to say.

"What do you mean?"

"I should have been at home with you, not across the country."

"Booth, you couldn't have known. It's not logical to blame yourself."

"Yeah, well we're not all driven by logic," Booth muttered. His reunion with Brennan was not going as planned. He wanted to be there for her and to hold her when she cried and to tell her that he loved her. Instead, she was the one who appeared to be fine and he was the one who needed comforting.

"I would like to go home," she stated.

"Bones, you just had major surgery."

"I feel fine."

"Yeah, that's because you're being pumped full of pain medication."

"There's no reason why I can't go home."

"I'll be the judge of that," Dr. Kelly said as he walked in and approached Brennan's bedside. Booth stood up to allow Dr. Kelly room to look at Brennan when he noticed that his hand was still attached to hers. She hadn't stopped squeezing his hand. With that small gesture, Booth realized she needed him more than she was saying. Still holding her hand, Booth stepped aside.

"Dr. Brennan, I'm Dr. Kelly. We spoke after your surgery, but you…"

"I remember," Brennan said.

"How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine."

"I've taken a look at your chart. We would like to run a few more tests and we will be keeping you for at least another twenty-four hours before we send you home."

"Well, that seems absurd," Brennan exclaimed.

"Bones, listen to the doctor," Booth commanded.

"Dr. Brennan, if the tests in the next twenty-four hours look the way I want them to look, then yes, you will be able to go home," Dr. Kelly explained.

"She just had major surgery," Booth protested. "Shouldn't she be here longer than twenty-four hours?"

"Believe me, Mr. Booth, we will not send your wife home until she is ready. Oftentimes we find that patients recover faster when they are at home than in a hospital setting."

"I assure you I feel ready to go home today," Brennan insisted. She started to toss the blankets off of her as if she was ready to get out of bed.

"Woah, Bones, slow down," Booth said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Not so fast, Dr. Brennan," Dr. Kelly said. Dr. Brennan reluctantly stopped moving. "You are on a number of pain medications not to mention antibiotics to fight off any infections."

"I know what antibiotics are for," Brennan snapped.

"Right, of course." Dr. Kelly sighed. "I've read some of your research and I am a big fan of your books, Dr. Brennan. And although I respect you and your work, I would never go into your lab and tell you how to do your job so please don't tell me how to do mine."

Brennan stared at the doctor, but said nothing. She realized she had been defeated. She had no other logical argument.

"What are my restrictions when I am finally released?" Brennan asked.

"Since when do you listen to doctor restrictions?" Booth asked, smiling. She smiled back at him, but it was a short-lived smile.

"Assuming that you will be released in twenty-four hours and that there are no complications…with these types of surgeries, we find that the worse side effects are usually some discomfort and soreness. You should refrain from sexual activity for four weeks."

Booth nearly groaned out loud, but he refrained. Four weeks was a long time without being able to touch her.

"What about work?" Brennan questioned as if the four weeks without sex didn't faze her in the least. "When can I go back to work?"

"You should stay out of work for at least two weeks. We'll have you do some follow-up visits to make sure everything is healing as planned and, if everything does go as planned, you should be back to normal activities in no time. It's all really a matter of how you feel, Dr. Brennan. You shouldn't push yourself."

Booth rolled his eyes. "She always pushes herself."

"I'll…ah…have a nurse come get you for those tests."

"One more question," Booth said.

"Yes?"

Booth didn't quite know how he was going to ask the question that was lingering in the back of his mind. "I know you said we have to refrain from…"

"Sex?" Dr. Kelly filled in.

"Yeah…I was just…I was wondering…how long before we can try again for a baby?"

For the first time since she woke up, Brennan let go of his hand. He looked at her and noticed she had turned her head away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. He wished he hadn't asked the question.

"Ah…it's not so much a factor of time," Dr. Kelly said. "The surgery…with the repairs we made and the scarring and the previous damage, I…getting pregnant again will be very difficult."

Booth shook his head. "I don't understand."

"I don't know if you will be able to get pregnant."

Booth felt the same sadness and emptiness he felt when he first woke up from the nightmare that told him something was wrong with Brennan. He was confused and angry.

"We can't have a baby?" He asked.

"I'm not saying that."

"Then what are you saying?" Booth practically yelled.

"I'm just saying that it's a possibility that you won't be able to get pregnant or that you won't be able to carry the baby to term."

"So she could have another miscarriage?"

"It's always a possibility. But I've seen stranger things happen. I've had patients who I have told couldn't get pregnant and then two years later, I'm delivering their babies. I've seen miracles."

"There are no such things as miracles," Brennan stated. She still hadn't turned back to look at either Booth or Dr. Kelly. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to forget about what happened and go back to the way life had been. She wanted to be in the lab piecing together a skeleton.

"I would recommend consulting a fertility specialist, but I would give it time."

"Thank you," Booth said.

"I'll send a nurse right in to do those tests," Dr. Kelly said. She gave Booth a smile before leaving the room.

Booth looked over at Brennan who was still turned away from him. She was doing nothing but staring straight ahead. Her face was emotionless. Booth couldn't understand how, after hearing the news they just heard, she could be calm. Then again, that was what she did. She compartmentalized everything and held it in.

"I think we should talk," Booth said.

"I'm feeling tired." Booth didn't believe her, but he let it go. "You should go home."

"I'm not going anywhere."

As if to prove it, he sat back in the chair beside her bed. She closed her eyes. Booth was about to do the same, hoping to get even a little more sleep in the uncomfortable chair, when he saw Brennan's hand move towards him. She slid her left hand across the top of the bed towards him. He entwined his fingers with hers and closed his eyes.

1:39 PM

Booth kicked the snack vending machine hard with his right foot. The Doritos that he had just spent $1.50 on were stuck between their tray and the glass. With his hands on either side of the machine, Booth shook it. Nothing happened.

"Damn it!" He yelled.

"Did the machine pick a fight with you?"

Booth immediately recognized the voice. He turned to see Cam standing in front of him. Sweets, Angela, and Hodgins were standing just a few feet behind her, standing outside Brennan's room.

"It won't give me my Doritos," Booth replied.

In her high heels, Cam walked over to the snack machine. She reached behind it, unplugged it and plugged it back in. Booth's Doritos fell to the bottom of the machine. She reached inside and pulled out the chips.

"Thanks," he said, not even really hungry. He only got the Doritos because he needed something to do. He was going stir crazy sitting at the hospital doing nothing but watching Brennan be emotionless.

"How is she?" Cam asked as she enveloped Booth in a hug.

"She's ok. They're doing some tests so I sort of got kicked out."

"Come on, let's take a walk."

Cam looped her arm through Booth's and they walked down the hallway. Angela, Hodgins, and Sweets followed. They took the elevator down to the first floor and walked outside. Booth felt like it had been a long time since he had had fresh air. They made their way over to a small picnic table under the shade of a large dogwood. The flowers were pleasantly in bloom.

"How are you doing?" Sweets asked.

"I'm fine," Booth answered.

"You know that when a person answers that they're fine, it immediately makes the psychologist think the opposite," Sweets said. "Booth, it isn't easy to learn that you lost a child and we all want you to know that we're here for you."

Booth nodded. He needed to talk about it. He needed to let out his feelings.

"It's amazing how you can mourn someone that…I mean, she wasn't even born."

"She?" Angela asked with a tear in her eye.

"Yeah, she."

"I'm so sorry, Seeley," Cam said.

"The doctor said Bones probably won't be able to…she probably won't be able to have children because of the damage."

"What about seeing a specialist?" Hodgins questioned.

"Yeah, she suggested that. I don't know…maybe I shouldn't have asked. Maybe it was too soon."

"What does Dr. Brennan say?" Cam asked.

Booth shook his head. "Nothing. It's like she's emotionless."

"You've always known that Dr. Brennan has a way of compartmentalizing emotions," Sweets stated.

"I know, but this…I thought…losing a child...she'd feel something."

"She does feel something, she's just trying not to," Sweets stated. "She will talk when she's ready to talk."

"I'm just glad she's ok," Booth said.

"We all are," Angela added.

"This might not be the best time to bring this up, but is your brother still sitting in prison?" Hodgins asked.

"Not anymore."

"What happened?" Cam asked.

"I got a call from the police this afternoon. Turns out, Jared's ex-girlfriend, the one he moved to Seattle for, came forward and confessed. She killed the guy in some rundown old theater. She had the murder weapon and the bloody gloves she was wearing when she did it. Turns out she just couldn't deal with the guilt. Jared was released and is who knows where."

"You haven't talked to him?" Angela wondered.

"Nope."

"Have you called him?" Angela pressed.

"Nope."

"Agent Booth, he is your brother," Sweets reminded him.

"Thanks for the reminder, Sweets. I've got more important things going on than worrying about Jared." Booth looked down at his watch. "Speaking of which, Bones is probably back to her room by now. I don't want to leave her alone."

Booth stood up and headed back to the hospital.

"Is he going to be alright?" Angela asked.

"Eventually," Sweets answered. "Eventually."

Author's Note: I know, this chapter had more sadness, but have faith everyone! Thanks for reading!


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Monday

6:55 PM

Booth closed the front door and watched as Brennan headed straight for the stairs.

"Woah, woah," he said, dropping the folders and bags that were in his hands on the floor. He caught up with her and put one arm securely around her waist and the other under her arm.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking up the stairs," Brennan replied, but she didn't push him away. Although she was still on pain medication, she could feel the soreness that Dr. Kelly had warned her about.

"I know, but let me help you anyway."

They walked up the stairs slowly, Brennan holding back a cry of pain. Booth chose not to comment on it. He still felt like it was too early for Brennan to leave the hospital, but she had insisted and Dr. Kelly said she was fine. Over the last forty-eight hours, Brennan had been pricked and prodded as Dr. Kelly and the nurses performed every test imaginable. Brennan grumbled through all of it, wanting to go home. Booth hadn't left her side. Several times he had tried to talk to her about what had happened, but she never spoke about it. They either sat in silence or discussed work. With Cam, Sweets, Angela, and Hodgins visiting, it gave Brennan yet another excuse not to talk.

"I'm going to take a shower," Brennan said as they made it to the top of the stairs.

"Do you need help?"

"Dr. Kelly said no sexual intercourse for four weeks, Booth. You're the one who is always telling me to follow doctor restrictions, and yet you are the one who is trying to break them."

"I didn't mean that kind of help, Bones."

"Oh. Of course. I believe I'll be fine."

"Alright. I'll get us something to eat. What do you feel like having?"

"Whatever you want is fine."

"Ok. I'll call your prescriptions into the pharmacy while I'm at it."

"I could do that." Booth gave her a glance. "Right…you like to do things for me because you're an alpha male."

"I would think after two years of marriage, you would stop calling me that and just say that I like doing nice things for you. You know, most wives complain that their husbands don't do enough for them."

"Then I guess you're lucky that I'm not one of those wives."

This time she smiled and it was a real smile. Booth couldn't help it. He kissed her, missing the feeling of her lips against his.

"I love you," he said.

"And I love you. Would you help me?"

Booth nodded. He knew she was only asking because he wanted to help her, but he appreciated it just the same. Still holding on to her waist and her arm, Booth helped her into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and began to slowly help her undress. As he unbuttoned and pulled off her shirt, he started to recite the saints. He did not need to get turned on when he wasn't allowed to fix the problem.

"Is there a problem, Booth?" She asked in the low, sultry voice she got when she was in the mood for sex.

"No sex," he said sternly. "Four weeks."

Brennan pouted as Booth helped her out of her Jeans. She winced as she stepped out of them. Booth wished there were something he could do. He settled on kissing her forehead as he continued to undress her. When he was through, he tested the water from the shower.

"I'll be downstairs," he said. "Yell if you need me."

"I'll be fine."

"I know, but just in case."

He gave her a lingering kiss before she stepped into the shower and under the hot spray. She pulled the shower curtain closed. Booth made his way out of the bathroom, but left the door open. He wanted to be able to hear her if she called out and needed him.

Booth made his way downstairs and did what he said he was going to do. He first called the pharmacy and got Brennan's antibiotic and pain medication prescription filled. Then he looked through their large repertoire of takeout menus. He finally decided that Thai food was his best option. Brennan never could resist dumplings. He dialed the restaurant and ordered the food, making sure to order extra dumplings.

Booth glanced around the kitchen. Brennan's laptop was out on the table. He noticed it was still on. Brennan shook the detachable mouse and the screen came to life. A chapter of Brennan's most recent book was up on the screen. She had told Booth she was determined to finish it and send it off the publishers before she gave birth. She didn't want anything to distract her once their child was born. She had written it only days earlier, but it felt like years. Booth knew that she never let him read her books before they were finished, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Booth sat down at the table, telling himself that he would only read one chapter. He scrolled to the beginning of the document and began to read.

Six chapters later, Booth was still reading. He was completely enthralled in the murder mystery that Kathy and her partner were trying to solve. As he ended chapter six, Booth stopped. He noticed he no longer could hear the sound of the shower running. Booth scrolled down the document, trying to put it in the same place Brennan had left it. He didn't need her to know that he had read any of it.

Curious as to what she was doing, Booth walked through the house and up the stairs. He went to their bedroom. The bathroom door was still open. He walked into the bathroom, but Brennan wasn't there. Her wet towel was thrown on the towel rack and her robe was gone.

"Bones?" Booth called out.

He walked back through the bedroom and down the hallway. Booth had no idea where she was. He was beginning to panic.

"Bones?"

As he rushed down the hallway, he finally caught sight of her. She was standing in the doorway of the room they were going to use for a nursery. She was staring into the room, her eyes fixated on the crib that Booth had just put together two weeks earlier. The room still smelled like fresh paint. The changing table they had picked out was still in pieces on the floor. He hadn't had the chance to finish putting it together yet.

He went to put his arms around her, but she stepped away from him.

"What did you order?"

"What?"

"For us to eat. What did you order?"

"Uh…Thai. Bones, I…"

He reached for her hand, but she was just out of reach as she walked away from the room and down the hallway. Booth watched her. He saw how tenderly she took her steps; how she favored her right side. He could see the physical pain, but not the emotional pain. He wished he saw something on her face. He wished he saw tears. He wished he were lying with her in bed, holding her while she cried, rather than just watching her walk away.

Booth could feel the tears all over again. He was never much of a crier. His grandfather always told him that real men didn't cry. But his grandfather had never told him that life could be this hard. He never told him that he'd have to deal with losing his unborn child and having a wife who wouldn't talk to him about it. Booth let one tear fall before he wiped them away. He heard the doorbell ring. By the time he got to the bottom of the stairs, Brennan had already paid the Thai deliveryman and was holding the bags of food.

"Did you get extra dumplings?" She asked.

"Don't I always? Here, let me get those."

Without giving her time to protest, Booth took the bags out of her hands. He brought them to the dining room table. Brennan followed him, moving slowly. He pulled out her chair and helped push her in as she sat. Booth grabbed two water bottles and two forks and sat across from her.

"What's this?" Brennan asked, pointing to her laptop.

"What do you mean?" Booth replied, hoping he had covered his tracks well enough. He did not want Brennan being angry with him for reading her book.

"My laptop."

Booth took the carton of pad thai and took a large bite. He was hoping he could distract her with food.

"You must have been working on your book before…" He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"I know I was working on my book. I remember it very clearly. What I don't remember is that I wasn't working on the last chapter. I was adding detail to chapter seventeen."

"You should eat. You must be starving," he said, pushing the container of dumplings towards her. Booth glanced over at the screen, hoping she wouldn't notice. He was sure he had brought the screen back to where it had been when he had started reading. Then again, as he stared at the blinking cursor at the end of the document, he wondered if he had been correct.

"Booth."

"What?"

"My screen isn't where I left it."

"Maybe you just don't remember."

"I remember!" She yelled, standing up abruptly, knocking the container of dumplings over. "You keep saying that I don't remember, but I remember everything! I remember everything!"

Booth thought he saw a tear dripping down her cheek, but before he could stand to comfort her, she stormed off. He heard her walk up the stairs slowly. He heard the slam of their bedroom door. Booth dropped his fork. He was no longer hungry. He buried his head in his hands. This wasn't supposed to be happening. He and Brennan had made it through one tragedy. They had finally found each other. They were supposed to be happy. They were supposed to have their perfect family and everything was supposed to be alright. But it wasn't alright and Booth didn't know what to do about it.

Sighing, Booth left the food on the table. He just didn't feel like cleaning it up. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he couldn't just sit and do nothing. He made his way upstairs. He paused outside the bedroom door. He took a deep breath before opening it slowly. He peered inside. Brennan was in bed, curled up in a fetal position, her back towards him. The blanket was drawn up to her chin. Without saying a word, Booth quickly shed his clothing and grabbed an old T-Shirt. He slid into bed next to her.

"Bones," he whispered. He heard no response. "Talk to me. Please."

"There's nothing to talk about."

Booth bit his tongue. There were times when he loved the stubbornness in her, but this wasn't one of those times.

"We lost our baby. I think we…"

"It wasn't a baby. It was a fetus. I'm fine. I'm tired."

Booth chose not to press any further. Sweets was right, she would talk when she was ready. Booth had learned early on in their relationship that bullying her into talking just didn't work.

"Ok." He kissed her on the cheek. "Goodnight, Bones. I love you."

He scooted closer to her and draped his arm across her waist. He pressed his cheek against her back and tried to pull her closer to him. He needed to feel her in his arms.

"Booth."

"Mmm?"

"This is very uncomfortable for me. Perhaps you could move."

"I'm sorry."

He let her go and shifted away from her. She moved herself so she was further away from him. Somehow he knew that her not wanting to be near him had nothing to do with the physical pain she was feeling. He couldn't understand how she had gone from being flirtatious with him in the shower and then not wanting him to touch her in their bed.

Booth rolled onto his back, staring straight up at the ceiling. He felt like he was losing her and it was all his fault.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

Three Weeks Later

Monday

10:23 AM

Booth picked up the nearly empty coffee pot. He grumbled out loud that there was barely any coffee left. He cursed the person who didn't make a new pot after nearly emptying the pot he was holding. Booth dumped the small amount of coffee into his mug and threw the empty pot back on the counter. If no one else could be bothered to make coffee, then Booth certainly wasn't going to do it for them. With only half a cup, Booth dumped in half the amount of sugar he usually would. As he grabbed a stirrer, he heard someone walk into the coffee room.

"Agent Booth," Sweets said, approaching the counter.

"Hey Sweets."

Booth sipped his coffee as Sweets reached for the empty coffee pot.

"Who takes the last of the coffee and doesn't refill the pot?" Sweets asked as he put the pot down. He looked at Booth and narrowed his eyes. Booth gulped the last of his coffee and put the mug in the sink.

"No idea," Booth said as he walked out of the coffee room and towards his office. Sweets followed Booth. He hadn't wanted coffee at all. He had wanted to see Booth.

"Did you want something, Sweets?" Booth asked as he walked into his office and took a seat behind his desk.

"I was hoping we could…talk."

"Why?" Booth busied himself at his computer. He wasn't really working on anything in particular, but he wanted to make it look like he was busy with something.

"Well, because I think it would be beneficial to you."

"Beneficial to me? I have work to do, Sweets."

Sweets took a seat across from Booth.

"What work?"

"Excuse me?"

"You haven't taken a case since Dr. Brennan returned to work two weeks ago."

"I've been busy with paperwork."

"And Dr. Brennan? What has she been busy doing?"

"She's been…you know, doing what Bones does."

"Which is what?"

"Identifying old remains and poking at two hundred year old skeletons. It's what she loves to do."

"Uh-huh. So she isn't working on any recent murder victims?"

"What's your point, Sweets?"

"Dr. Brennan has been cleared to go back to work. So…why haven't you taken any new cases?"

"Nothing's come up."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Are you upset that we haven't come across any murder victims recently, Sweets? Because if that's true, maybe it's you who needs psychiatric help."

"I'm just suggesting that getting back into a normal routine might help you and Dr. Brennan…reconnect."

"Bones and I don't need any helping reconnecting."

"Agent Booth, let's be honest here. We've all noticed how things have been…different between you and Dr. Brennan recently."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Booth said, focusing on his computer. He knew exactly what Sweets was talking about. Things had been strained between him and Brennan both at home and at work. They barely spoke to each other except for work related things and normal pleasantries. They hadn't talked about what had happened. Brennan still appeared to hold no emotion. Booth still hadn't seen her cry.

"Has she spoken to you about her feelings yet?" Sweets asked.

Booth shook his head. "Weren't you the one who said she would talk about her feelings when she was ready?"

"Yes and I still don't think you should push her, but I do think it's important for you two to recognize and discuss what you lost."

"It isn't a what. It was a baby. Our baby."

"Right, of course. I'm sorry."

"Bones and I are fine."

"Then why haven't you taken a case yet?"

Booth sighed and looked across his desk at Sweets. Sweets raised his eyebrows, expecting an answer.

"I don't want to push her," Booth finally answered.

"Her doctor cleared her to go back to work."

"Yeah, and you and I both know that just because someone is medically cleared to go back to work doesn't mean that they are ready to go back."

"Very true. Do you think that Dr. Brennan isn't ready to go back to work?"

"I think quite the opposite. Bones needs to work. It's who she is."

"Then may I make a suggestion?"

"If I say no, will you go away?"

"No."

"Then, by all means, tell me your suggestion," Booth said with sarcasm in his voice.

"Take a case."

Booth waited for him to say more, but Sweets simply sat back with his arms folded across his chest.

"That's it? That's your big suggestion?"

"As you stated, Dr. Brennan needs to work. It's part of how she copes with difficult emotions. But, she also needs you."

"Of course she needs me. I'm her husband."

"You didn't let me finish. She needs normalcy, Booth. She needs you and her work to go back to normal. She needs to know that you haven't lost faith in her."

"Of course I haven't lost faith in her."

"But you need to show her that. Most women who have suffered a miscarriage often feel that their male companion does not trust them anymore because they were unable to give birth to a healthy child, which, for most women, is their purpose in life."

"Trust me, Bones doesn't think her sole purpose in life is to create a child."

"Not intellectually, but biologically. At a fundamental level, we all feel the need to procreate, Agent Booth whether we act on that need or not. Show her that you still trust her. Go back into the field, Agent Booth."

Booth was about to open his mouth to respond when his cell phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Booth." As the person on the other end of the phone spoke, Booth grabbed a pen and jotted down the information being given to him on a scrap piece of paper. "Ok, we'll be there as soon as we can. Thanks.'

Booth shut the phone and shoved it back in his pocket.

"What was that all about?" Sweets asked.

"Just what you suggested. A case."

"And you're going to take it? With Dr. Brennan?"

"If this doesn't work, Sweets, I'm coming back here and shooting you."

"Do you realize how often you threaten to shoot me?"

Booth grabbed his jacket and put it on. He grabbed his cell phone again and speed dialed Brennan's number at the lab.

"Yup. And one day I might make good on my promise."

With the phone to his ear, Booth walked out of his office and went straight for the elevators. On the fifth ring of the phone, Brennan finally picked up.

"Brennan," she answered.

"Hey Bones. We've got a dead body."

"I'll get my things." Booth could hear a noticeable difference in her voice. Any time he spoke to her since the incident, she sounded depressed and uninterested. With just the mention of the case, she had the joy back in her voice.

"I'll pick you up in ten."

Booth shut his phone and smiled. Maybe Sweets was right after all.

11:39 AM

Brennan crouched next to the human remains in front of her. She ran her gloved finger over the skeleton's spine. The skeleton was face down on the cement floor.

"This building has been empty for nearly three years," Booth said, looking over the notes he had taken while talking to one of the local police officers. "It used to be a restaurant, but it went under when the recession hit."

"Our victim is approximately 132 centimeters, which leads me to believe that she's female. I won't know for sure until I can turn the body over and examine the rest of the skeleton."

Booth watched her work, examining every piece of bone she could see. He had always loved watching her work. He loved the look she got in her eye when she looked at bone. He loved the care and delicacy she used when handling the bones. Watching her at that moment made him fall in love with her even more.

"Any idea what the cause of death might be?" He asked.

"We'll have to get her back to the lab to determine that, but I do see unidentifiable marks on the spine."

"How did she get to be…the way she is? I mean, we're inside, out of the elements. What happened to the flesh?"

"That I can't explain. Hodgins will have to analyze particulates on the skeleton as well as the surrounding area. Who found the body?"

"A real estate developer took a look at the property. He was looking to turn this whole area into a strip mall."

"It's difficult to say without running some tests, but I don't believe this person was killed here."

"You think the body was dumped here?"

"It's a possibility. I won't know more until…"

"You get her to the lab. I'll have the guys wrap her up nice for you."

"I will call Hodgins and tell him to bring his kit for samples."

He reached out his hand to help her to her feet. She gladly accepted. It was the most physical contact they had had in a while. If they weren't out in the middle of the public with at least a dozen officers around them and if she weren't wearing latex gloves covered in disgusting substances, Booth would have pulled her to him and kissed her. As it was, she took her hand out of his and began to take off her gloves. She walked off towards where Booth had parked his car.

"Can we get this to the Jeffersonian?" Booth asked a group of crime scene investigators from the FBI. Two of the men brought a backboard from the waiting coroner's van and laid it down next to the victim. As they began to roll the skeleton slowly and carefully onto the board, Booth went off after Brennan. She was standing next to his van, taking off the blue Jeffersonian jumpsuit she had on over her clothes.

"So, lunch?" He asked.

"Only you can think about food at a crime scene," she replied.

"And you love me for it."

"Yes, I do."

Booth glanced around, making sure they weren't being watched, before he kissed her. He started with just a short, quick kiss, testing the waters. She kissed him back with vigor. Booth had missed the feeling of her lips against his. He silently thanked Sweets as Brennan's hand slid into his hair. Investigating a case had done the trick. Brennan was back. She caressed the nape of his neck as their kisses became more frantic. Booth seriously thought about suggesting that they take their lunch break at home when he remembered that they were still abstaining from sex. They had one week to go and it was killing him.

"Bones, I…"

"Damn it!" She shouted.

She pushed him away.

"Bones, what…"

She stormed off, back towards the skeleton. The FBI team was just getting the skeleton on the backboard.

"You are compromising my remains!" Brennan shouted. "The body should never have been flipped over without the Jeffersonian team cataloging the remains as they were!"

Booth jogged to catch up with her. Two of the men were holding the backboard with the skeleton lying on its back.

"We thought this would be the best way to transport the body," one of the men said.

"Well, you were wrong!" Brennan shouted.

"Okay, look, just get it back to the Jeffersonian and don't touch anything else," Booth stated.

The men started to walk off towards the van.

"Wait!" Brennan yelled. They immediately stopped. She approached the body and stared at it. She was silent for several minutes.

"What is it, Bones?"

"There's another set of remains here," she said.

"What?"

Booth certainly wasn't an expert on bones, but he had learned something from working with Brennan for all those years. He thought he could at least determine if there was one skeleton or two.

"There is a full adult female skeleton and the skeleton of…" She didn't continue.

"Of what, Bones?"

"Of a fetus. This woman was pregnant."

Author's Note: Well, I just couldn't help writing another scene with Sweets and Booth. For some reason I just love their interactions. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please don't forget to review!


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

1:07 PM

While she was waiting for the body to arrive on the platform, Brennan was sitting at her desk, going over the pictures that were taken from the crime scene. She squinted at her screen, looking for any other abnormalities on the bone that she hadn't noticed before. She knew that looking at the real bones was going to prove much more effective, but she felt like she had to do something. She couldn't just sit around. She zoomed in on the area of the spine where she saw the markings on the bone.

"Dr. Brennan, the remains have arrived," Cam said from the doorway of Brennan's office.

"I'll be right there."

Cam walked off towards the platform. Brennan took one last look at the picture on her screen before standing. As she reached for her blue lab coat, Booth stepped into her office.

"I don't have any information for you yet," Brennan said. "We just received the body."

"I know."

"Did you find out anything from the real estate guy?"

"No. He just stumbled on the bones. He doesn't know anything about the crime."

"Well, hopefully Angela will be able to do a reconstruction and we will have an ID for you."

"I'm not worried about an ID, Bones."

Booth closed the door to Brennan's office. He knew he had to stop her before it went too far. Sweets was wrong. Brennan wasn't ready to go back to the field, at least not when their case included a dead pregnant woman. She did not need a daily reminder of what happened and neither did he.

"What are you doing?" Brennan asked, pointing to the door.

He took her hand and led her over to the couch. She sat down beside him with a perplexed look on her face.

"Booth, I have remains to look at."

"I'm giving this case to someone else."

"What?"

"I don't want us working on this case, Bones.'

"I don't understand."

Of course she wasn't going to make it easy for him. He was going to have to spell it out for her no matter how badly it hurt.

"The victim was pregnant, Bones."

"So?"

"So?" Booth shook his head. Sometimes he forgot that he was talking to Brennan and not a person who was lead by emotions. "Don't you…don't you feel anything? Don't you have any emotions about this?"

"No."

"How can you not?"

"I don't have emotions when it comes to our cases, Booth. I am completely objective." She stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"Well, I have emotions," he said. "I am hurting, Bones."

"Then maybe if this case is too difficult for you, you should step down."

Brennan stood up and headed for the door.

"That's it? I tell you I'm hurting and that's all you can say?"

She turned back towards Booth. "It makes the most sense. I am completely capable of working with another FBI agent, Booth, if you don't feel like you can handle this case."

"Why do you do that? Why do you push me away?"

"I'm working, Booth."

Booth stood up, clenching his fists by his side.

"Then you're on your own," he growled.

He stormed out of her office. From the platform, Angela and Cam watched him walk quickly out of the lab. They both gave each other knowing looks.

"Well, that didn't go over so well," Cam pointed out.

"She shouldn't be working on this case, Cam," Angela said.

"I agree. But if Booth can't convince her than I highly doubt we'll have any luck. You know Dr. Brennan better than I do, Angela. Do you think she's going to just walk away from a case because of the circumstances?"

Angela shook her head. "I just don't know how she can do it. I'm having a hard time with it and I wasn't…"

Brennan swiped her badge and walked up the steps to the platform. She grabbed two latex gloves from a nearby box and pulled them on her hands.

"The crime scene investigators may have compromised the remains, but I think we will still be able to discern cause of death," Brennan stated.

"Hodgins is out collecting samples at the scene. Apparently he found some bug excrements that may tell us where the body was before it was brought to the restaurant," Cam explained.

"I noticed markings on the spine at the crime scene," Brennan said. "After we get the bones cleaned, we should be able to tell what made the markings."

She looked more closely at the skeleton, staring at the skull. She started at the top and made her way slowly to the bottom, looking for anything that looked out of the ordinary.

"The victim was female. Approximately thirty-two years of age." She turned her attention to the fetal bones that were laid out on the table next to the female victim. "I would approximate the age of the fetus to be about twenty-four weeks. It was a male." Cam and Angela exchanged glances. Brennan was having no reaction to looking at the tiny bones.

"There isn't enough flesh to get DNA," Cam said.

"Without knowing why there's no flesh, it will be difficult to determine time of death," Brennan added. "I don't see any evidence of animal or insect activity that would have stripped the bones of flesh nor do I see any signs of chemicals or boiling or anything else that would explain the lack of flesh."

"Perhaps Hodgins will find something at the scene," Cam said.

"Yeah, some flesh eating bacteria or something," Angela added.

"Angela, can you do a facial reconstruction of the woman?" Brennan asked.

"Ah…yeah. Shouldn't be too difficult. I've also taken photographs of the teeth. Do you want me to give them to Booth for identification?"

"Booth is no longer working on this case," Brennan answered.

"What?" Angela questioned.

"He finds it is too difficult."

Cam and Angela shared another knowing look. Cam motioned for Angela to speak up. Angela shook her head, but Cam nodded.

"Sweetie, maybe Booth is right," Angela said.

"I don't know why this is so emotional," Brennan replied. "We have victims all the time."

"Not all victims are pregnant," Angela stated.

"I don't see why that should make a difference."

"It's only been a few weeks, Brennan. Maybe you should…"

"I don't know why everyone thinks this should be difficult for me. I am perfectly capable of separating my personal life from that of the work that I have to do."

"Of course you are," Cam said. "We just thought you might be more comfortable getting back to work with something a little…easier."

"I'm perfectly fine."

"I'll start on the reconstruction," Angela said.

"And I'm going to contact the FBI," Cam stated.

"Why?" Brennan asked.

"Because Booth isn't going to work this case, we need another agent."

Brennan nodded.

"It will be different working with another agent," Brennan shared.

"You could talk to Booth and see if he'll change his mind," Angela suggested.

"Booth made it very clear that he does not want to work this case. I will adjust to working with a new agent."

"Ok then," Cam said. "Let's get started."

Cam and Angela left the platform. Brennan continued to examine the bones. She glanced over at the remains of the fetus and she felt her stomach turn. She looked away from the bones and focused at the task at hand.

11:18 PM

Exhausted, Brennan hung her coat by the front door and made her way upstairs. Ever since her surgery, she noticed her body became tired more easily. She couldn't stay on her feet as long as she used to. She couldn't work as long as before without becoming entirely exhausted. She didn't let anyone else know, not even Booth. She didn't need others thinking she wasn't able to work as much as she had been able to. Having been on her feet for nearly twelve hours studying the bones, Brennan wanted nothing more than to go to sleep.

As she walked into hers and Booth's bedroom, she saw him sitting up in bed, watching a baseball game. He glanced over at her as she entered, but said nothing. They hadn't spoken since that morning. The FBI had assigned the Jeffersonian team to work with another agent. Brennan had yet to meet with him. She had merely spoken to him on the phone and already didn't like him. He didn't understand her humor and constantly asked her to repeat herself when she told him about what she found on the skeleton.

"Hey," Booth said.

"Hi."

"It's pretty late."  
"I was working."

Brennan slipped off her shoes and put them immediately away in her closet. She unbuttoned her blouse and took her shirt off. Booth stopped paying attention to the game on TV. He could only look at her. She slid her slacks down her legs. Booth had to bite his lip in order not to ask for her to join him in bed. She was wearing his favorite pair of panties. They were bright red and lacey. It made his mouth water.

"What did you do today with no case?" Brennan asked.

"I caught up on some paperwork," Booth answered.

Brennan threw both articles of clothing into the nearby laundry basket.

"That sounds like a waste of your talent."

"Yeah well, it has to get done. I heard they assigned you Agent Whittaker to work with."

"Yes, that's right. He has a very difficult time keeping up with me. He's not as intelligent as you are."

"Thanks…I think."

"I wish you would reconsider working on this case."

"I made my decision, Bones."

"We have already made good progress. Hodgins has already discovered that the victim was actually killed somewhere near salt water. He should be able to match the particular type of salt we found in the area of the restaurant to a specific location. I also determined that cause of death was a stab wound to the back. We are testing a variety of possible murder weapons. We haven't yet found the woman's ID, but Angela is looking through the missing person database for anyone who was pregnant. The fetus was very well formed, which means the woman must have taken very good care of herself during pregnancy. The fetus also…"

"Stop."

"I thought you might be interested in what I was working on."

"I don't want to talk about the case, Bones."

"Why not?"

"For the exact reason I chose to step away from this one. I don't want to hear about fetuses."

"I understand."

"No you don't. You don't understand!" He yelled.

"Why are you yelling at me?"

He scrambled out of bed and began pacing.

"Because you are acting like nothing happened! You are acting like we didn't both lose a baby!"

"It wasn't a baby, Booth. It was a fetus."

"If that's what you need to think to make it through the day, then fine. But I'm not like you, Bones. I can't just think of it as a fetus. That baby was a part of me and you. I loved her!"

"You can't love something you never met."

He shook his head. "Sometimes I wonder…" He cut himself off, afraid of what he was about to say out loud.

"Wonder what?"

"Forget it."

"No, Booth, finish your statement."

He sighed. "Sometimes I wonder how we make this work. How, when we are so different…when you have no feelings, we make this work."

"I do have feelings."

"Could have fooled me."

She grabbed her clothes out of the hamper and began to hastily put them back on.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Going to the lab."

"You just came from the lab. You need to rest."

"I'm fine."

"Bones…" He reached for her, but she walked out of his reach. She went out into the hallway. "I'm sorry." He followed after her. She began walking down the stairs.

"I have work to do," she said.

"Damn it! Talk to me!"

Halfway down the stairs, she turned to stare at him.

"I told you, I am fine!"

"You're not fine!"

"I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to remember what it was like to lose our baby!"

She gasped and went silent. Booth saw the change in her face. The anger flooded from her face. Her lips trembled, her eyes went from being wide and furious, to low and scared. Her body began to shake.

"Bones…"

He put his arms out and caught her around the waist as her knees gave way. He helped lower her so she was sitting on the stairs.

"I…it was…"

Tears began to stream down her face.

"Bones…"

"It was my fault," she cried.

"What?"

"It was my fault. I lost our baby."

Her tears were flowing steadily. Her body was still shaking. The memory of falling on the bathroom floor in pain, knowing exactly what was happening and knowing that there was nothing she could do about it flooded her mind.

"No, Bones…"

"I lost our baby," she repeated.

"It was not your fault."

"I should have known. I should have done something. I should have…"

"You can't blame yourself. You said it yourself, it happens, Bones. It's not your fault."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Shh..." He wrapped his arms around her and held her, rocking her back and forth. His own tears mixed with hers. This was what he needed. He needed to know that she cared.

"I was trying so hard to forget it…to not think about it. I thought if I could just rationalize what had happened, I would be ok. If I could just think of it as a fetus and not a baby, I wouldn't feel it. But, I do. I do feel it. I'm not ok, Booth and looking at that baby today, I just thought…I thought about our baby and who she could have been and…and I'm so sorry."

"Let it out, Bones. Let it all out."

He rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. She clung to him like a small child. She felt like she had never needed anyone more than she needed him at that moment.

"How will you forgive me?" She asked quietly through her tears.

"Forgive you? Bones, there's nothing to forgive you for."

"I failed you, Booth. I lost our baby and now I…I can't have a child."

"We don't know that. And you didn't fail me, Bones. Look at me." Booth placed his hands on either side of her face, cradling it. With her eyes swimming with tears, she looked at him. "This was not your fault. I love you. Nothing will ever change that."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I should never have pushed you away. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I'm sorry I walked away from you."

"I think we should let Agent Whittaker take over the case," Brennan said. "The rest of the team at the Jeffersonian can assist him."

"I think that's a good idea."

"I do want to go back into the field, Booth. I want to work with you again. I want things to go back to normal."

"Me too."

She cuddled against him letting her tears subside. Booth stroked her hair and continued to hold her.

"Booth?"

"Yeah?"

"What if I never can have a child? Will you still…"

"I will love you always," he interrupted.

"And I love you."

Their lips connected lightly. Brennan nuzzled against his neck.

"Bones?"

"Mmm?"

"I think we need to take apart the nursery." They hadn't been in the room since Brennan had walked in there the day she returned from the hospital. Booth had shut the door and they hadn't talked about it since.

Brennan nodded. "I don't know if I can go in there."

"Hodgins and Angela offered to take care of it for us."

"I think that's a good idea."

"We have some amazing friends, Bones."

"I feel like I haven't been a very good friend recently. Cam and Angela tried to talk to me today about the case and I…I pushed them away."

"They'll understand. It's going to be ok, Bones. We're going to be ok. Trust me."

"I do trust you."

"I know. Come on. Let's go to bed."

Booth stood up and helped Brennan to her feet. As she went to take a step up the stairs, Booth placed one hand on her back and the other arm around her knees. He lifted her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"I love you," she said.

"Right back at you, my girl."


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 35**

One Week Later

Monday

7:24 AM

"Where were the remains found?" Brennan asked.

"In the woods."

"Do you have anything more specific?"

"They don't really have any specifics yet."

"How can you not know where the remains were found if we are driving to the remains right now?"

"I know where the remains were found, Bones. You'll…see when we get there."

From the passenger seat, Brennan glanced over at Booth. He didn't look at her. With his two hands firmly on the wheel, he concentrated on the road ahead of them. Brennan tried to figure out what he was thinking, but she couldn't read him. Brennan sat back in her seat and looked out the window.

Booth had woken her up an hour before, telling her that remains were found in the woods and they needed her expertise. What he didn't tell her was anything about the case. She tried pressing him for information, but he kept telling her that she would find out when she got there. She had dressed quickly and insisted that they stop by the Jeffersonian to get her things. Booth told her they didn't have time and that she would have to just go with the tools she always kept in Booth's car just in case. After putting up an argument, Brennan finally agreed when Booth told her that the remains were in danger of being compromised by the elements.

"Did they tell you the condition of the skeleton?" Brennan questioned.

"I'm not sure."

"Well, you said that the remains may be compromised by the elements. It's not raining or snowing or anything else that may compromise the remains so what exactly did you mean?"

"It's just something one of the FBI forensics guys told me."

"Do you know anything about this case?"

"I told you, Bones, you'll see when you get there."

"You're being very mysterious."

"And you're being very picky. You said you wanted a case, I got us a case."

"I do want a case. I have found that the last few weeks in the lab have not held my interest. I no longer am happy simply identifying old remains. Unless they were remains that would alter the course of history or change how we see evolution or something equally as interesting."

"So you're saying you won't work on boring remains anymore, Bones?"

"No, I'm just saying that I prefer working with you. I like getting out of the lab, Booth."

"I'm sorry we haven't taken a case until now, Bones."

The truth was, after the case with the woman who was pregnant, nothing else had come along. Every murder victim that showed up had too much flesh to interest Brennan.

"I am excited to get back into the field with you, Booth."

Booth put his hand on Brennan's. He hid a sly smile.

"Me too, Bones, me too."

"Angela told me Agent Whittaker solved the case of that woman last week although she also insinuated that she, Dr. Saroyan, and Dr. Hodgins did most of the work. I was given the impression that Agent Whittaker was not very helpful. He did not possess your ability to talk to people or tell whether people are lying or not."

"Yeah well, Whittaker's a good guy, but the man couldn't find his way out of a paper bag."

"Why would someone have to find their way out of a paper bag? That makes no sense, Booth. Unless the person was put into a very large paper bag, but I don't think that's a possibility."

"It's a figure of speech, Bones."

"Oh."

"I read Agent Whittaker's report on the case. He gave your squints all the credit they deserve. He even went so far as to say that Hodgins discovery of the flesh eating bacteria was the big break in the case."

"Hodgins is very useful."

"Yes, he is."

Brennan looked out the window and peered at the road sign they passed.

"Booth, I thought you said the remains were found in the woods."

"They were."

"Then why are we going this way? I didn't think there were any wooded areas out here. This road goes to the airport. Are we heading to the airport?" Booth smiled, but said nothing. "Why are you smiling?"

"You'll see."

"I am feeling very confused, which is not a feeling that I have very often."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel on a daily basis."

"I don't like it very much."

"Do you know what today is, Bones?"

"No. Is today a significant day in our relationship, Booth? Because, although it is customary for the woman to remember important days in relationships, I am not very good at remembering them simply because I do not see how one day is necessarily more important than another day. I do know it is not our anniversary."

"Nope, not our anniversary," Booth said.

"I know it is customary to have gifts on significant days. I apologize because I do not have a gift for you."

"Don't worry, it's not a significant day in our relationship, Bones. Well, it is, but…"

"I am finding what you are saying to be very illogical."

"It's been four weeks," Booth explained.

"What's been four weeks?"

"Since you came back from the hospital. Since the miscarriage."

It was still difficult for Booth to say out loud, but over the last week, he and Brennan had talked it through. They had spent countless hours wrapped in each other's arms. Sometimes they cried and sometimes they just held each other. Sometimes they talked and sometimes they didn't. All Booth knew was that they were no longer held back by their tragedy. They were finally able to move forward.

"Is that significant, Booth?" Brennan asked.

He squeezed her hand.

"Do you remember what Dr. Kelly said before you were released?"

"She said many things, Booth. Would you like me to repeat everything she said because I do believe that, although I couldn't say her words verbatim, I could give you a very close copy of what she said."

"Sex, Bones, we can have sex again. Dr. Kelly said we had to wait four weeks before we could have sex. It's been four weeks."

"Oh. Yes, that is very significant to our relationship."

"Yeah, I'd say so." Brennan didn't say anything. Booth glanced over at her, trying to read her face. Just as he had done earlier, she was staring straight ahead through the windshield. "If it's too soon for you, Bones, I will understand."

"Too soon for what?"

"To have sex. I know you've been through a lot. If you're not ready…I would never push you to…"

Brennan put her hand on his arm. "I know you wouldn't, Booth. I am quite ready. I am sorry that I didn't remember the day. I've missed having intercourse with you."

Booth rolled his eyes. Somehow the way she said it just took the sexiness out of it.

"Trust me, you're not the only one."

Brennan continued to watch the road as they drove.

"Booth, you are driving into the departures area of the airport."

"Yes, I am."

"Are the remains in another location, Booth? Will we have to take a plane?"

"We're taking a plane, but we're not going to look at remains."

"But I thought we had a case."

"Not quite."

"So, you lied to me?"

"I wouldn't say lie, Bones, I would say I misguided you. Trust me, it was for a very good reason."

"If we're not going to look at remains, where are we going?"

"Do you remember when I agreed to let you buy our house for us that I said I could buy you anything I wanted and you couldn't say no?"

"I do recall that agreement, yes."

"Well, I'm cashing in, Bones."

"I don't understand what cash has to do with this."

"What I'm saying is, I am buying you something and you can't say no."

"A plane?"

"No, Bones, not a plane. Why would I buy you a plane?"

Brennan shrugged. "We are at an airport, Booth. It was a logical assumption."

"Who buys someone a plane?"

"If it's not a plane, then what is it?"

"You are extremely difficult, you know that?"

"I wasn't aware I was being difficult. I am simply trying to discover where you are taking me. I apologize."

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I don't particularly care for surprises. Culturally, surprises are…"

"We're taking a second honeymoon," Booth interrupted before she could go into the history of surprises. Booth wondered if there was anything she didn't know.

"What?"

"It's been a while since we've had any time off and we've been through so much recently that I thought it would be good for us to take a second honeymoon."

"We're going back to Hawaii?"

"Not quite. Florida. It's the best I could do on short notice. Besides, I only got a week vacation's time and when we go back to Hawaii, we are definitely going to be spending more than a week there. Even though it's not Hawaii, it will be warm and beautiful and I'll get to see you in a bikini again." He rubbed his hand on her thigh.

"So, you are taking me to Florida to have sexual intercourse with me?"

Booth made a face. It sounded wrong when she said it and yet, it was what he had in mind.

"What? No."

"But you do want to have sex."

"Of course I want to have sex. I've been going through withdrawal without you."

"We could have intercourse at home, Booth. You don't have to take me to Florida to have intercourse."

"Could you stop using that word?" Booth asked her.

"Does it make you uncomfortable? I know talking about sex often makes you uncomfortable."

"It's not talking about sex that makes me uncomfortable, Bones. It's the way you use that word. It's like you take all the…excitement out of it."

"Sorry."

"I just thought we could spend a little time together on the beach. I already cleared it with Cam. Remember, you can't say no. That was our deal."

"That was several years ago, Booth."

"Doesn't matter. The deal stays. You can't say no."

Brennan smiled and started thinking about taking a trip. It had been a while since she and Booth had been completely alone for a whole week. Even if they weren't working, they had Parker with them. Booth enjoyed his company, of course, but she also enjoyed spending time with Booth alone.

"It does sound very wonderful. I am looking forward to spending time with you. I am also looking forward to having sexual relations with you."

Booth brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "I love you."

"There's only one problem, Booth."

"What's that?"

"I don't have any clothes. I did bring my work bag because I thought I would be investigating remains, but that only has my jumpsuit. I don't think that will be very ideal for Florida as the humidity there is quite high."

"Don't worry, Angela packed a bag for you."

"Angela?"

"Yeah, I told her my plan and asked her to help. Besides, it's Florida. All you need is a bathing suit."

"I do believe I will need more than just a bathing suit, Booth. It is illogical to think that we will be spending all our time on the beach."

"No. When we're not on the beach we'll be in bed." He winked at her. "Trust me, Bones."

"Always."

Author's Note: So, I know this chapter was rather fluffy, but I thought after the intenseness of the last few chapters, fluffy was needed. I hope you liked it!


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Tuesday

6:31 PM

Brennan stretched out her legs, letting the warmth of the sun hit her exposed skin. Although she wore no bottoms but her bikini bottoms, she had one of Booth's white, button-up shirts over her bikini, covering her top half. She pulled the bottom of the shirt down so it covered more of her thighs. She wasn't afraid of sunburn. Booth made sure that she was completely covered from head to toe in sun screen. What she was afraid of was revealing too much of herself. Years earlier, on the beaches of Hawaii on their honeymoon, Brennan hadn't been worried about people seeing her body. She had always kept herself in shape and knew that she was the type of woman that many men found attractive. But that was before she had gotten pregnant. Now she felt self-conscious, a feeling she was not accustomed to.

"Hey," Booth said as he walked through the open sliding doors onto the balcony where Brennan was sprawled out on a wooden lounge chair. He was wearing blue swimming trunks and nothing else. In the twenty-four hours since they had been in Florida, they hadn't yet made it to the beach. They were much too busy in their hotel room making up for lost time. Their hotel room, though, did have a very nice sized balcony with a gorgeous view of the white sandy beach and the ocean. While Booth was in the shower, Brennan had made her way to the balcony to enjoy the sunset.

"Hey yourself," Brennan replied.

Booth set down two glasses of wine on the ground next to Brennan's chair.

"Do you have room for one more?"

Brennan scooted forward so that Booth could sit behind her. He straddled the chair and leaned against the wooden back. When he was comfortable, he grabbed Brennan by the waist and pulled her against him. She leaned back, letting her body sink into his. Booth picked up the wine glasses from where he set them down and handed one to Brennan. He took a sip of the other.

"Thank you," she said.

Booth began to idly play with her hair, running his hand through her silky locks. He could see her bright pink bikini top through his white shirt. The straps holding the bikini up were tied around her neck. With one pull, Booth could have the whole thing undone. It was extremely tempting.

"I know what you're thinking," Brennan said.

"Oh yeah? Are you a mind reader now, Bones?"

"There are no such things as mind readers, Booth. Scientifically there is no way a person could know what is going on in someone else's brain. But, even though I am not able to read your mind, I believe I know you very well and I can hypothesize about your intentions."

"And what is your hypothesis, Bones?"

"You would like me to take my clothes off."

"Not quite."

"Oh."

"I don't want you to take your clothes off, Bones. I want me to take your clothes off." He moved his hands to her shoulders and began to knead her muscles.

"We are on our balcony, Booth. People could see."

"You make a very good point, Bones." Booth glanced over the edge of the balcony. There were dozens of people below on the beach. Booth tried to weigh the odds of someone actually seeing them. It's not like people were gazing at the hotel. They were all looking at the water.

"We could go in," Brennan suggested.

"We have spent all day inside, not that I am complaining."

"It would be nice to see the sunset. I have heard that it can be very beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as the view of you in our bed." He stopped massaging her shoulders. "Although I do have just one question."

"Yes?"

"Why are you wearing so many clothes?"

Booth took the sleeve of the button down shirt she was wearing and tugged on it. Although she didn't have the shirt buttoned up, it was pulled over her so tightly that Booth couldn't see any skin. He knew he was going to have to remedy that problem.

"It's protecting my skin," Brennan answered.

Booth continued to pull on the sleeve. The shirt slipped off her shoulder. Booth kissed the spot of newly revealed skin.

"I didn't bring you to Florida, Bones so I could see you with so many clothes on."

"I thought you brought me to Florida to have sex with me, Booth."

"Yeah, well that was one of the reasons. But, as I've already told you, the other reason was to get you in a bikini. Now, I see that you're in that bikini, but I think you're missing the point, Bones."

"And what is the point?" She asked, her voice low and sultry.

Booth nipped playfully at her ear as he spoke. "I want to see that bikini, Bones."

He pulled on the dress shirt even more until the two sides came apart and he could finally see skin. Brennan tugged the fabric back into place and sat up so she was no longer leaning against him.

"What's wrong?" Booth asked, rubbing her arms.

"I find I am feeling quite..." She trailed off, not finishing the sentence.

"Quite what?"

"Uncomfortable."

Booth immediately took his hands off her. He couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong.

"Uncomfortable? Why? Am I pushing you too fast? I thought you were ready, Bones. If you needed more time, you should have…"

Brennan turned her body so she was facing him. "No, Booth. I was ready. I am ready. I've very much enjoyed being physically intimate with you again. I missed having sex. I missed being with you. I've enjoyed spending this time with you."

"Me too, Bones. I feel like we're finally us again."

"I'm not sure I know what that means."

"It means we're back, Bones. We're back to being in love without fear, without holding anything back. We're us again."

"I like that."

"Yeah, me too, but you are holding something back from me, Bones. What is it?" Brennan turned back around so she wasn't looking at him any longer. Having moved away from him, she was sitting on the end of the chair. "Bones, talk to me. Please."

"It's just...Angela packed this bathing suit for me."

"This is about a bathing suit?"

"I am finding this bathing suit to be much more revealing than those I am used to."

"Bones, it's just you and me here and trust me, I am really liking Angela's style."

Booth was about to pull the shirt off of her completely to show her exactly how much he liked Angela's style, when she stood up and went to the railing of the balcony.

"Something's really wrong, isn't it?" Booth asked. He got up from the chair and stood beside her. She was looking out over the ocean. The sky was turning from blue to a deep orange. Booth leaned on the railing and looked at her.

"I'm not the same as I was before I got pregnant," she said.

"Of course we're not the same people, Bones. We went through a difficult experience. Isn't it the theory of evolution that states that we're constantly changing? We've changed, Bones, but it doesn't mean we've changed for the worse."

"I'm not talking about emotions, Booth, although I agree with you that we have changed emotionally. I'm talking about physically."

Booth shook his head, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "Wait a minute, you're upset because you think you don't look the same as you did before you were pregnant?"

"I have gained some weight, Booth."

"Seriously? You're worried about how you look? Bones, you're beautiful."

"I know I am still beautiful. I am just feeling…self-conscious."

"You? Self-conscious? I never thought I'd hear those words coming out of your mouth."

"It is a very foreign emotion for me, Booth."

Booth took his hands in hers and tugged on her so that she was facing him.

"You are more beautiful now than you were when I first met you," he said, looking into her eyes. He couldn't understand how she could feel any less than beautiful. She was stunning; Booth's perfect woman.

"I may be beautiful, but it doesn't change the fact that I may not be in as good of shape as I once was."

"Do you know how many women would kill for your body, Bones?"

"It would be quite ridiculous for a woman to kill for another woman's body."

Booth looked down to the beach beneath them. "Let's do an experiment."

"What?"

"An experiment. You know, like the ones Hodgins is always doing in the lab."

"But we're not in the lab."

"Just trust me. I'm going to prove to you how beautiful and amazing and sexy you really are."

Booth took her hand and led her back through the glass sliding doors. He grabbed a T-Shirt for himself off the bed where he had thrown it, and pulled it on. Booth opened the hotel room door.

"Booth, what are we…"

"Just trust me."

They walked out of their room, down the hall, and took the elevator to the bottom floor. They made their way through the lobby, which opened up right to the beach. Booth held Brennan's hand as he walked down the shore.

"Stand here," Booth said.

"What? Why?"

"Just do it. And take this off." Booth pulled the shirt Brennan was wearing.

"Booth!"

"Trust me," he said.

Unsure of what Booth was trying to prove, she looked into his eyes. She saw what she always saw. She saw love and she felt safe. Brennan finally conceded. She let him take the button down shirt off. She felt exposed standing in her pink bikini.

"Now, stay here."

With the shirt in his hand, Booth walked down the beach.

"Booth, where are you going?" Brennan called out after him.

"Just stay."

He walked about twenty yards away. She could still see him among the throngs of people, but he was too far to communicate with. Brennan put her hands on her hips, wondering what she was doing standing in the middle of the beach. After several minutes, Brennan was about to go stomping back to the hotel when she felt someone brush her arm.

"Oh sorry."

It was a man in his early thirties. His shirtless body was glistening with beads of water. He had a wakeboard in his hand. His dirty blonde hair fell into his eyes. Brennan quickly analyzed him. His bone structure was very appealing.

"Perhaps you bumped into me because your right leg is longer than your left."

"Excuse me?"

"Your tibias are not the same length. It is barely noticeable and should not cause you any real problems except of course that you might have slightly less balance than the average male."

"Are you serious?"

"Very."

"Wow, smart and sexy. You…ah…here on vacation?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to grab a drink with me?"

"I don't believe that would be socially acceptable."

"Why's that? Your attractive, I'm attractive. We are both consenting adults."

"You are implying that you would like to have sexual intercourse with me."

The man was taken aback. He simply smiled.

"I thought I might have to work a little bit harder for that one, but hey, let's just skip the drinks. Where's your hotel?"

"I…" Brennan began.

Booth walked up behind the man and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Take a hike, buddy," Booth said. He had taken off his shirt and had it slung over his shoulder. He puffed up his chest and put his hands on his hips.

"Look, buddy, I saw her first."

"Actually, I saw her first." Booth took Brennan's left hand and held it up with his own left hand.

"We're married."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Maybe you should keep your woman on a shorter leash."

Booth took a step towards the man, his eyes like slits, glaring at him. He knew within a second he could have the man face down in the sand.

"You want to say that again?" Booth asked, ready for a fight.

The man shook his head and headed off. Booth waited until he was far enough way that he could no longer hear them before he turned to Brennan, smiling.

"See," he said.

"See what? All I saw was you showing off your alpha male personality. The stance you took when confronting that other man was very primal."

"That wasn't the point of the experiment, Bones."

"That was the experiment?"

"How can you be so intelligent and so…clueless at the same time?"

"I don't know what that means."

"Bones, that man thought you were hot. That man wanted to sleep with you. Within two minutes of standing out on the beach in a bikini, you had a guy offering to take you to bed with him. A guy wouldn't do that if you weren't smoking hot."

Brennan's furrowed brow finally turned into a smile.

"So you wanted him to ask me to have intercourse with him."

"No! Trust me, I would have killed him if he put so much as a hand on you. But I did want to show you how attractive you are."

"Then your experiment was a success."

"Yes, it was.'

"Then you weren't really going to fight him?"

"Oh no, I definitely would have fought him. Do you really think I would allow some guy to talk to you like that?"

Brennan put the palms of her hands against Booth's pecks.

"Sometimes I find myself very attracted to your male tendencies, Booth."

"Only sometimes?"

"Sometimes I find them unnecessary."

"Stop talking and kiss me."

Brennan complied. She looped her arms around his neck. His arms immediately went around her waist. As Booth peppered her neck with kisses, Brennan smirked.

"Booth?"

"Mmm?"

"I have my own experiment I would like to perform."

Booth continued to kiss her. "Oh yeah?"

Brennan put her hand on his chest and pushed him away. "Meet me in the room in ten minutes."

"What?"

"It's part of the experiment. Stay here and then meet me in the room in ten minutes."

"Bones, what are you…"

'Trust me."

Booth wondered just what kind of experiment Brennan had in mind. He had to admit that he was a little nervous. Her idea of an experiment could be much more dangerous than his.

"Always," he replied.

Brennan ran off back towards the hotel. Booth watched her go, enjoying his view of her amazing body. Booth walked down the beach, looking at the sunset. After a few minutes, he realized he didn't have any way of knowing when ten minutes had gone by. He wasn't wearing a watch and he didn't have his cell phone. Booth glanced back at their hotel, but was too far away to see if Brennan was out on the balcony again. Not able to wait any longer, and assuming that it had been close to ten minutes, Booth headed back to the hotel.

As he rode the elevator up to their floor, he was feeling anxious. He had no idea what Brennan had in mind, but he was excited about it. Hardly able to stop himself from running down the hall, Booth speed walked to his hotel room. He stopped outside the door, realizing that he didn't have his room key. He knocked. There was no answer.

"Bones!" He called.

As he stood outside the door for one minute and then another minute, Booth's excitement turned into panic. He pounded on the door. As he wondered if he would be strong enough to kick the door in, it opened. Brennan was standing before him. Booth's jaw dropped.

"I guess I have my results," Brennan said, seeing the reaction on Booth's face.

She was wearing her Wonder Woman costume; the one that she always wore on Halloween. Booth had mentioned during one of their lazy mornings together months earlier that he desperately wanted to see her in that costume again if only to peel it off of her. The costume not only showed off her gorgeous legs, but it hugged her every curve. Brennan had even teased her hair and put on the headband.

"What…where…how?"

Booth couldn't think. All he could feel was need. He needed her.

"I had Angela ship it overnight."

"What?"

"I knew you liked it. I thought this vacation might be the perfect opportunity to wear it again."

"I love the way you think."

Booth took a big step forward and slammed the door behind him. His hands were all over her, touching every part of exposed flesh. His lips connected with her naked shoulder.

"Thank you for proving me right," Brennan said, arching her neck to give him more access as he kissed around her shoulder and up her collar bone.

"This was your experiment, Bones? To see how hot you could get me?"

"Obviously the experiment went very well."

"You are so hot."

Booth devoured her, glad to be part of her little experiment.

Author's Note: I know this chapter was a little OOC for Brennan, and I debated on whether or not to even post it, but, since I took the time to write it, I thought I'd take the time to post it. I wanted to write just a little more fluff before I moved on. 8 more chapters to go!


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 37**

Eight Months Later

Friday

7:17 AM

After sliding his belt buckle through the loops of his dress pants and fastening it with his cocky belt buckle, Booth walked into the bathroom. Brennan was standing at the sink, splashing her face with warm water. She was still wearing her pajamas and a light pink robe. Her hair was in a pony tail so that it wouldn't get in the way of her morning routine. That was what they did in the morning. Booth would get dressed in the bedroom while Brennan would get ready in the bathroom. Then, they would switch so Booth could brush his teeth and shave and Brennan could get dressed. It was a routine they had both grown accustomed to over the years and it suited them as they both got ready for work.

Booth walked over to the sink where Brennan was standing and pulled his toothbrush out of the grey, ceramic holder they both shared. He squirted a glob of toothpaste onto his toothbrush and began brushing his teeth. Just inches beside him, Brennan squeezed a dime-shaped size of face wash onto her hands. She began to rub the lather onto her face.

"Running late today, Bones?" Booth asked, with his mouth full of toothpaste, even though he knew perfectly well that the answer was yes. It took them both nearly a half hour after their alarms went off to get up and it wasn't because they were sleeping.

"I believe you already know the answer to that question, Booth," Brennan replied.

"You don't need that, you know," Booth said.

"Need what?"

Brennan looked at him with goops of white face wash all over her face. Booth stifled a laugh. She looked like one of the skeletons they would find covered in unidentifiable goop.

"That," Booth said, pointing to the tube of anti-aging face wash. "You're beautiful without it."

"Considering we live in a society that praises its youth, I do believe it's necessary."

Booth shrugged. "You're beautiful without it," he repeated.

Brennan smiled before cupping her hands under the faucet and splashing her face with the water. She began to wipe the face wash from her skin. Once she had managed to get most of it off, Brennan grabbed a face cloth and wiped the remaining white liquid and water off her face. Booth finished brushing his teeth and spit the watery toothpaste mix that was in his mouth into the sink. He rinsed out his mouth. Brennan pulled her hair out of the ponytail it was in. She put the elastic next to her face wash so it was ready for the next day. Brennan walked past Booth towards the door. Before she could quite make it out of the room, Booth grabbed her by the waist. He crushed her against him.

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his forehead against hers.

"You missed a spot," he said.

Booth took the facecloth Brennan had been using and gently wiped the remaining face wash that was hiding behind her ear away. Even when he was done, he didn't let go over her. Instead his hands roamed over her back.

"How did I get so lucky?" Booth asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"You. How did I get so lucky that I ended up married to you?"

"There is no such thing as luck, Booth. We just happened to be in two professional careers that work together so we were able to meet. Although we are very different in many ways, we are compatible sexually and physically. You are equally as handsome as I am beautiful."

Booth smiled. Sometimes he loved how analytical she could be. "You are so incredible."

"By definition, the term incredible means that something is so extraordinary that it seems impossible or that something is hard to believe. I do not think I am either of those things."

"Trust me, you are so extraordinary that you seem impossible."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Fine, how about I say you are extraordinary, sexy, and amazing."

"Those terms do make more sense. In that case, I find that you are also all of those things," she replied.

Brennan ran her hand over his stubble. He kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers.

"Shave," Brennan commanded, breaking their kiss.

"What?"

"I don't like the stubble. It scratches my face."

"So you're saying if I don't shave, we don't kiss anymore?"

"That is a logical conclusion."

"Then I will get right on that."

Ignoring his own statement, Booth locked lips with her again. He made sure he rubbed his chin and cheeks over her face. Brennan laughed.

"Stop."

"Why?"

"Because if you start that again, we will both be late for work," she warned.

"I don't see a problem with that," Booth said.

"I have work that Cam needs me to do," Brennan insisted. "I need to finish it this morning since we're leaving early to spend the afternoon with Parker."

"I guess you have a point."

He kissed her one last time before letting her go. Booth swatted her on the behind as she walked into the bedroom. As she started to get dressed, Booth began splashing water onto his own face.

"Why is it that Parker is getting out of school early?" Brennan asked from the other room.

"Teacher conference day. The kids only have to go to school for half the day. Rebecca was going to pick him up, but she got called into work."

"It will be nice spending the afternoon with him."

"Yeah, it will be."

When his face was sufficiently wet, Booth grabbed a can of shaving cream. He shook it and went to spray it onto his hand, but barely anything came out. Grumbling under his breath, Booth threw the can away in the trash.

"Did you have any plans with Parker for the afternoon?" Brennan asked.

"I was thinking maybe the park. You know, it's supposed to be a gorgeous day outside."

"That sounds logical."

Booth smiled as he opened the medicine cabinet above the sink to get another can of shaving cream. As he reached for the one remaining can, a box fell from the medicine cabinet into the sink. Booth picked it up. He was about to put it back when he took a closer look at it.

"I should be done with my work by twelve if you want to pick me up before you get Parker," Brennan said. "Then the three of us can grab some lunch and go to the park."

Booth heard her words, but he wasn't really listening. He was staring at the box, not sure what to make of it. "Is that ok?" Brennan called out. He didn't respond. "Booth?"

She walked into the bathroom, fastening a deep blue beaded necklace around her neck. The necklace perfectly matched the sleeveless blouse she had changed into. She was wearing a black pencil skirt, which greatly accented her legs.

"Booth, did you hear me?"

Booth turned to her, holding the box out to show her.

"What's this?" He asked.

Brennan looked at the box. She could sense the anger in his voice.

"It's a pregnancy test," she answered as if he had asked the simplest question in the world. She began to walk back into the bedroom.

"Don't walk away from me," Booth said. With water dripping from his face, Booth walked after her. "There's one missing."

"I'm sorry?"

"In the package. It's supposed to have two pregnancy tests, but one is missing. Did you take a pregnancy test, Bones?"

"Yes."

"Yes?" He hissed.

"Is there something wrong?" Brennan asked as she chose a pair of earrings from her jewelry box and put them on.

"Is there something wrong? You took a pregnancy, Bones, and didn't tell me!"

"By your tone of voice, I can tell that you are angry."

"Yes, I am angry, Bones."

"The test was negative, Booth."

Booth felt his heart drop. He was angry, but it didn't stop him from being hopeful that she really was pregnant. In less than a minute, he had redesigned the nursery in his head and was starting to think about holding a baby in his arms.

"You should have told me you had taken a pregnancy test."

"I don't see why."

Booth said nothing in response. He sat down on the side of the bed and hung his head. Rationally, he knew he was overreacting, but it didn't make the hurt go away. He felt like he had somehow been betrayed. Brennan took a last look at him, but, after deciding their argument was finished, she slid her feet into her black pumps. She was about to walk out the bedroom door when Booth spoke.

"When? When did you take the test?" Booth asked quietly.

"Several weeks ago," Brennan answered from the doorway. Somehow she knew Booth needed more of an explanation. "I was feeling nauseous for several days. I…ever since the surgery, my menstrual cycle has been very irregular so it had been a while since I had menstruated. I was sure I wasn't pregnant, but I…I took the test because I just needed to know for sure."

"You should have told me, Bones. I would have…"

"What? What could you have done, Booth? I am sure you realize that a pregnancy test requires you to urinate on it, Booth so you couldn't have been very helpful."

"Of course I know that," he snapped.

"It was just a test."

"A test that had the possibility to change our lives."

"Well it was negative."

"Everything is so simple for you."

"I am sorry that you think I should have more emotions about this, Booth."

"I just wish you had told me that you thought you might be pregnant."

"But I didn't think I was pregnant, Booth. I already explain to you that…"

"Yeah, I heard you."

"Then why do you still sound so angry?"

"You're my wife, Bones. We're supposed talk about things like this. We're supposed to be there for each other. That's how marriages work, Bones."

"It was just a test, Booth. A test that I knew would be negative before I even took it. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to get your hopes up. I am able to compartmentalize my emotions, but you…I knew this news would be devastating to you. That's why I didn't tell you."

For the first time since he sat on the bed, Booth looked up at her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I got so angry. I know you just did what you thought was best."

"Many women take pregnancy tests without telling their partners."

"I know. I overreacted. And you're right, I would have gotten my hopes up."

Brennan slowly made her way to the bed where Booth was sitting. Leaving more than a foot of space between them, she sat down next to him.

"I can't get pregnant, Booth."

"That's not what the doctors say."

"I've looked at the tests, Booth, and although the reproductive system is not my specialty, I know what the tests say. The odds that I will get pregnant are very slim. We've tried, Booth."

"We still have another invetro appointment in two months."

Brennan shook her head. "It's not going to work. The last two didn't work, Booth. This one won't work either."

Booth thought back over the last eight months. Brennan had been implanted two different times with multiple eggs. Both times the results were the same. She wasn't pregnant. They had talked to all of the best specialists. They all said the same thing; it wasn't impossible for Brennan to get pregnant, but it was highly improbable. The damage suffered during her surgery was just too great.

"You don't know that," Booth said.

"Yes I do."

"So what? We're just supposed to give up?"

"The biology speaks for itself, Booth. My body is not capable of carrying a child. I am sorry if that upsets you." Brennan looked at her watch. "I'm going to be late. Are you still angry with me?"

"No."

"Then I will see you at lunch." Booth nodded. Brennan stood up. "I love you, Booth." She walked out of the room, leaving Booth completely alone.

Author's Note: Sorry for not updating sooner. I went on vacation and just haven't had much time for writing. Thank you as always for reading!


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

11:32 AM

Brennan sat at her desk, the cursor on her computer blinking, ready for her to type. She stared at the monitor, but didn't really see it. She was too busy in her own thoughts. She replayed the argument she had with Booth that morning. He had apologized and they had left the house together, but the car ride to the Jeffersonian was a cold one. Booth didn't walk her into the building as he usually did. Instead, he just dropped her off. Brennan began to question whether she had done the right thing. Should she have told Booth about the pregnancy test? The only reason she hadn't told him was to spare his feelings. She wondered whether or not her decision was correct. Even after nearly three years of marriage, Brennan still felt like she didn't know anything about how a married couple should work. She couldn't help but wonder if she would never be the kind of wife Booth wanted and deserved.

"Hey Brennan," Angela said, poking her head into Brennan's office. Brennan was pulled from her concentration.

"Hey Angela," Brennan replied.

"I just gave my final report on the Walker case to Cam. She wants to know if you finished with your report so she can give it to the district attorney for trial."

Brennan looked at her computer screen. The report she was writing wasn't even half done.

"Ah…I haven't completed it yet," Brennan replied. "Could you please tell her it will be done by the end of the day?"

"Sure." Angela glanced at her watch. "I thought you and Booth were supposed to be picking up Parker."

Brennan looked at the time on her computer. She couldn't believe how quickly the morning had gone by. Booth would be arriving at the Jeffersonian in less than a half hour. There was no way she would be able to get the entire report done in that amount of time.

"I will get the report done," Brennan stated.

"Are you ok, Bren?" Angela asked. She took a few steps into Brennan's office and closed the door behind her. "Did something happen between you and Booth? I didn't see him come in this morning with you."

"That's because he didn't," Brennan said.

"Oh."  
Brennan concentrated back on the report, determined to get it done as quickly as possible. She looked at the notes she had taken on the case. She began to type them up. Brennan wished she could just give the task of writing the report to an intern, but she knew it was her responsibility. Only she could explain what needed to be explained in the detail that was needed and expected.

"Bren?" Angela said, trying to get her attention. Brennan looked up at her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"He found out this morning that I took that pregnancy test several weeks ago."

"The one I told you you should tell him about?"

"I wanted to spare his feelings."

"Did you tell him that?'

"Of course I did."

"And what did he say?"

"He told me I should have told him about it."

Angela made her way over to the couch and sat down.

"How did he find out?" She asked.

"He saw the box," Brennan answered.

"He flipped out, didn't he?"

"He was angry, but he later apologized for overreacting. Despite his apology, however, I sense that he is still upset."

"And why do you think he's upset?"

"He doesn't like when I hide things from him. He thinks that married couples should share everything with each other. But it's not as if I lied to him about it, Angela. If he had asked me several weeks ago if I took a pregnancy test, I would have admitted it to him, which is exactly what I did this morning. I read that couples often have difficulty coping if someone in the relationship lies, but I didn't lie."  
"You may not have lied to him, Brennan, but you did omit the truth."

"It's not the same thing."

"In a relationship, it can be."

Brennan paused. "I believe he was also disappointed that I am not pregnant, which is precisely why I did not tell him in the first place."

"Booth would have been…upset whether you told him then or now. That's just how Booth is. He lays his heart out there and sometimes it gets hurt."

"And I don't."

"He will be ok. Just give him time."

"He believes that we still have the chance to have a child. He thinks I can get pregnant."

"What do you think?"

"I've seen the tests, Angela. The probability that I will ever carry a child is minute. He won't accept that."

"Booth isn't as rational as you, Bren. If he thinks there's a chance, he's going to hang on to that hope. Maybe it's not such a bad thing."

"What if he blames me?"

"For what?"

"For not being able to get pregnant. He says it's not my fault, but I can't help but think that maybe he blames me."

"He doesn't blame you, sweetie."

Brennan looked back at her computer so Angela couldn't see the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"I should call him. Let him know I won't be available for lunch so I can finish my report," Brennan said, officially ending their conversation.

"I will tell Cam that you'll have the report for her soon."

Before walking to the door, Angela went over to Brennan. She bent forward and hugged her.

"He loves you, you know. You can see it in his eyes. You're everything to him."

"I know," Brennan said.

"Just don't forget it."

Angela released her and headed for the door. Brennan took out her cell phone, ready to call Booth. He probably wouldn't be too thrilled that she was going to cancel on lunch, but she knew she had to get the report done. She also couldn't help but wonder if a little time away from each other would do them both good.

"I don't think you'll have to call him," Angela said.

"I do need to call him. I should tell him I'm not going to meet him for lunch."

"Well, you can tell him in person."

Angela pointed through the glass door. Booth was walking by the platform and towards Brennan's office. Angela opened the door and gave Booth a smile.

"Hey Booth," she said.

"Hey."

Angela quickly left, heading straight for her own office. She did not want to get in between Booth and Brennan.

"You ready for lunch?" Booth asked, lingering in the doorway. He didn't go into her office and greet her with a kiss like he usually did. He knew it wasn't her fault. He knew her reasons for not telling him about the pregnancy test were valid. She wanted to spare his feelings. That didn't make it hurt any less. After each of the invetro fertilization procedures, and Booth found out Brennan wasn't pregnant, his heart broke a little more.

"You're early," she stated.

"I don't want to be late picking up Parker."

"I'm not done with my report yet," Brennan said. "I was going to call you and tell you I wouldn't be able to make it to lunch."

"Oh."

"I'm sorry. If you weren't so early, I would have been able to call you and cancel so you wouldn't have had to drive over here."

"So now it's my fault?"

"No, I'm simply stating that if we had stuck to our original plan from this morning, this wouldn't have happened."

"This morning I was a little bit distracted to care about our plan."

"Perhaps you should be more observant."

"I'll see you later," he said. Brennan watched as Booth walked away from her office. Normally Booth would have insisted that she take a break no matter how pressing the report was. He would have begged her to go to the diner with him. But this wasn't normal. They were fighting and there was no way around it.

"I can meet you at the park later," Brennan suggested, chasing after him.

Booth stopped. "Fine. I should go. I don't want to be late."

As he turned to leave, Hodgins ran out of his office through the lab.

"Good, you're both here," Hodgins said with a big smile on his face.

"I was just leaving," Booth replied.

"Wait."

"Hodgins, I really have to…"

"Just wait. One minute. We've been waiting for everyone to be in the same place at the same time." Hodgins looked around as if he were searching for something. "I need Angela and Cam. Just wait."

"Dr. Hodgins, what is so important?" Brennan called out as Hodgins jogged off towards Angela's office. Booth crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed. He knew he wasn't going to be late, but he didn't want to be in the lab anymore. He wanted to leave. He needed to get fresh air and clear his head.

Hodgins returned a minute later, practically dragging Angela by the hand. Cam was walking behind them.

"Hodgins, what are you doing?" Angela asked. Her brow was creased, her eyes flitting back and forth between Hodgins and Brennan. Hodgins squeezed her hand and smiled a big goofy grin.

"I know everyone is busy so I will make this quick. Angela and I have been waiting weeks for everyone to be in the same place at the same time so we could tell all of you."

"Jack," Angela warned.

"We have some news to share with everyone."

"Now is not the time," Angela said. She knew exactly what he was going to say and she didn't know how to stop him.

"They're going to find out sooner or later, Ang," Hodgins said.

"What's the news, Hodgins?" Booth asked, wanting nothing more than to be away from the lab. "I've got to pick up Parker."

"Angela's pregnant. We're going to have a baby!" Hodgins yelled.

Cam clapped her hands. With a big smile plastered on her face, she hugged Angela. Angela looked over Cam's shoulder to look straight into Brennan's eyes. Brennan's face appeared emotionless. Booth, on the other hand, was stunned and he was having difficulty hiding it. He knew he should feel happy. He knew he should plaster a smile on his face and give Hodgins a slap on the back, but the only emotion he had was jealousy. Hodgins and Angela were pregnant while he and Brennan couldn't be.

"I'm so happy for you both," Cam said, letting go of Angela and giving Hodgins a hug.

"Thank you," Hodgins said.

Booth shook his head and put on a fake smile.

"Congratulations," he said, shaking Hodgins' hand.

"Yes, congratulations," Brennan said, her face still void of emotion. She looked at Angela and then over at Booth. Booth wouldn't meet her eyes.

Angela approached Brennan. "I'm sorry," she said in a low voice. "I didn't think he'd announce it today."

"It's ok. I'm happy for you, Angela. You will be a great mother."

"Thanks. I just…I don't want you to think…I know that…" Angela stuttered. She couldn't find the words. "I'm sorry, Bren."

Brennan gave her a swift hug not because she wanted to, but because she knew that was the appropriate response. She had learned enough about people that she knew that the appropriate response when someone told you good news was to be happy for them.

"I need to finish my report," Brennan said.

"Oh come on, Dr. B, why not finish it later? Let's go out for lunch to celebrate," Dr. Hodgins suggested.

"Sorry, I've got to go pick up Parker," Booth said. He kissed Angela on the cheek. "Congratulations again."

"Thanks," Angela said.

Without another word, Booth turned and walked out of the lab.

"I really should finish that report," Brennan said. She went back into her office. Brennan sat down at her desk, but the last thing that was on her mind was her report. The only thing she could think of was the look in Booth's eyes.

Author's Note: Ok, so I know I am becoming the worst updater ever. I really thought I would have this story completely posted by now, but real life always has a way of getting in the way. It's amazing that even though I'm a teacher, summers are sometimes more busy for me than the school year. Anyway, I just want to thank everyone for sticking with me and taking the time to read this story. 6 chapters left!


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

2:25 PM

Brennan walked across the green grass of the national mall, not in any particular hurry. She wanted to spend time with Parker and even felt guilty that she hadn't been there to eat lunch with him, but she was in no hurry to see Booth. She could still see the look on his face when he walked away from the Jeffersonian. He looked pained. It had taken her years, but over the course of their partnership, Booth had taught her how to read other people and be in tune with their feelings. She knew he was feeling disappointed and angry and it was all her fault.

Brennan's stomach grumbled hungrily as she crossed the street towards the playground. Booth had been right; it was a gorgeous day outside. The sun was out, but it wasn't too hot. White, fluffy clouds were in the sky, floating by. If Booth were with her, he would probably tell her to look in the sky to tell her what she saw. Although she knew it was silly and that clouds didn't make any shape at all, Brennan would play along. It was a little game she had grown to love.

Brennan was at the edge of the playground before she knew it. She looked through the crowd of children swinging, sliding, and running until she found Parker. He was standing in a short line to use the monkey bars. Brennan watched him as the young girl in front of him successfully made it across all of the bars. Parker took a step up and placed his hands on the warm metal. He jumped off the bar he was standing on. His feet were dangling more than a foot off the ground. He let go with his left hand and swung himself so that he could reach the next bar. Brennan smiled as he made it. As he attempted to do the same thing to get to the third bar, Brennan saw his mistake. He had let go too early and didn't have enough strength to hold himself up. Parker fell.

"Parker!" Brennan yelled, running towards him. She felt the same feeling she had felt when she and Booth heard the crash in Parker's bedroom when they first moved into their house. Then it was an unfamiliar feeling. Now, Brennan knew it all too well. She knew it was fear. Fear of someone she loved being hurt. When it was Parker, the feeling intensified greatly. Booth had explained to her that it meant she was a mother. Although Brennan tried to argue that she wasn't in fact Parker's mother, Booth told her it didn't matter. She had maternal instinct whether she wanted it or not.

By the time Brennan reached him, Parker had picked himself up and was dusting the dirty from his knees.

"Hey Bones," he said.

"Are you alright?" Brennan asked, quickly falling to her knees and examining him to make sure he didn't have any broken bones.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I fall all the time." He lifted up his arms. "See, no broken bones." Brennan felt relief overcome her. He was fine. She took a long breath.

"You ok, Bones?" Parker asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. Where is your father?" Brennan questioned, wondering why Booth hadn't come running when Parker fell. She knew she always got a little more concerned when Parker fell or got hurt than Booth was, but she still couldn't help but wonder why he didn't rush over to his son.

Parker pointed to a bench on the far side of the playground.

"Talking to Sara's mom."

Brennan saw him sitting next to a woman. They were both laughing. The woman flipped back her long, blonde hair. Brennan recognized it instantly as a mating ritual. Just like the peacock that would spread its feathers to attract a mate, this woman was doing the same exact thing. Brennan couldn't help but notice how beautiful the woman was. She was dressed in a short, yellow sundress. Her legs, although shorter than Brennan's, were well formed. She had excellent bone structure; high cheek bones, a pronounced jaw, small nose. She was exactly Booth's type. Brennan knew exactly why Booth hadn't run to Parker's aid. He was too busy.

"Bones?" Parker said.

"Huh...what?" Brennan turned her attention back to Parker.

"Want to see me slide down the fireman's pole?"

"Sure."

Parker ran off towards the pole. Brennan immediately turned her attention back to the woman Booth was sitting with. Her hand was on Booth's arm. She was still laughing. Booth had a big smile plastered on his face. His arm was resting on the back of the bench behind the woman's body. He had changed out of his usual suit and tie and was wearing Jeans and a dark blue shirt that completely showed off his muscle tone. From her few minutes of observation, Brennan could easily see the makings of mating behavior from both of them.

"Did you see, Bones?" Parker asked, running towards her.

Brennan, of course, hadn't seen. She had been too busy watching her husband with another woman. Although she didn't believe in lying, Booth had once told her that sometimes when it came to not hurting a child's feelings, telling a little white lie was excusable.

"Yes, Parker, you did a very good job."

"Aren't you going to say hi to dad?" Parker asked.

"Uh...actually, I..." Brennan looked over at Booth and the other woman. "I can't. I just stopped by to say hello to you. I actually have to go back to the lab."

"But I thought we were going to spend the afternoon together."

"I'm sorry, Parker." Brennan knelt down so she was Parker's height. "Tell you what...why don't you and your dad have an afternoon with just the two of you. You know, just the guys. Then I will see you tonight and we can have dinner all together. What do you say?"

Parker nodded. "Ok."

"I just have one question before I go."

"What?"

"Who did you say your dad was talking to?"

"Oh, that's Sara's mom. We've been in the same class for like...ever. She and dad are always talking."

"And where is Sara's dad?"

"Her mom and dad got divorced when she was just a baby. Sara says her mom has a big crush on dad, but I told her that you and dad were married so she can't like dad. Sara said it didn't matter if dad was married, but I said it did. Is something wrong, Bones?"

Brennan smiled, trying to reassure him that everything was alright.

"No, nothing. I will see you tonight."

"Ok. See you later, Bones."

Brennan placed a quick kiss on the top of his head before heading off in the direction she came. She didn't need to go back to the lab. She had finished her paperwork just like she told Cam she would. She just couldn't stand to be in the park for another minute.

As she walked back towards the Jeffersonian, she knew she was probably being irrational. She knew Booth loved her. She knew she should trust him. But that didn't stop the doubts from entering her mind. 

6:41 PM

Booth stirred the vegetables in the wok, making sure they were getting cooked evenly. He poured in a little more teriyaki sauce before taking the wooden spoon, scooping up a peapod, and chomping down on it to make sure it was ready. He put the spoon back in the mix of vegetables and rice, continuing to mix it.

"Bones said you shouldn't do that. That's who germs spread," Parker said from the living room. He was sprawled out on the floor, coloring a picture of a pirate.

"Bones doesn't know everything," Booth replied.

"Yes she does."

"You're right. She does. But what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

Booth picked up his cell phone from the counter. He checked to make sure she hadn't texted him without him noticing. There was no missing message, just as there hadn't been any missing messages for the last hour. Booth had texted her when she didn't show up at the park. He had called her when he and Parker arrived home. He texted her again to tell her they he was making stir fry for dinner. Beginning to worry, Booth picked up the phone to try calling her again. It wasn't unlike her to not call him back. She was probably working on some ancient remains and had left her phone in her office. What did worry him was if she wasn't answering him because of his actions from that morning.

"Parker, can you set the table?" Booth asked as Brennan's voice mail picked up. He walked into the living room as Parker walked into the kitchen.

"Bones, it's me...again. Look, I know you're probably angry with me, but please, please call me back. I'm getting worried. I need to know you're ok. Please, call me. I love you."

Booth hung up the phone and turned back towards the kitchen. Parker was busy putting out three plates on the dining room table.

"Don't worry, dad. Bones is fine."

"I'm sure she is, buddy. I just don't like that she didn't call me back. And she didn't show up at the park this afternoon like she said she would."

"Yes she did."

"What?"

"Bones was there. She watched me slide down the fireman's pole."

"What do you mean? I didn't see her."

"You were too busy talking to Sara's mom."

Finally, it dawned on Booth. He knew exactly why Brennan hadn't returned his calls.

"Did Bones say anything?"

"Just that she had to go back to the lab to finish up some work. She also told me to tell you hi. I guess I kind of forgot."

"She didn't say anything else?"

"Well, she did say that we could have dinner together tonight, but that was it. Is something wrong with you and Bones, dad?"

"Why would you say that?" Booth asked. He never wanted the problems he and Brennan were having to come out in front of Parker. Sometimes he forgot, though, just how observant his son could be.

Parker shrugged. "Bones just seemed a little sad at the park."

"Everything's going to be ok."

"Is Bones going to come home?"

"Of course, bud. Why don't you finish setting the table and I'll try calling her one more time."

Booth pulled out his phone once more. He speed dialed Brennan's number and waited for her voice mail to pick up again.

"I'm sorry," he said into the phone. "Parker just told me you were at the park. We need to talk. I..."

Booth heard the front door open. He knew it could only be one person. He hung up the phone and walked to the doorway. Brennan was just hanging up her work bag when she saw Booth.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi."

"I was just leaving you a message."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I forgot my phone at home this morning."

Booth breathed a quiet sigh of relief that she really had misplaced her phone and hadn't been ignoring him.

"I was worried that you weren't home yet."

"I told Parker I had to go back to the lab."

"Yeah, I just found that out."

"I'm sorry if I worried you."

Booth reached for her hand. "Look, Bones, I think we need to talk."

"I agree."

"Dad!" Parker yelled. "The veggies are turning brown!" Booth didn't care about his burning vegetables. All he wanted to do was to set things straight with Brennan.

"Later," Brennan said. "We can talk later."

Booth nodded. He let go of Brennan's hand and they walked together towards the kitchen.

"Hey Bones," Parker said.

"Hey Parker. Did you have fun at the park?"

"Yeah. Afterward, dad and I went to arcade. I won a huge stuffed animal."

"A huge stuffed animal that cost us one thousand tickets," Booth added.

"Yeah, it was awesome. I wish you could have been there with us, Bones."

"Yeah, me too."

As Booth began to dish the contents of the wok into a large bowl, he looked over at Brennan and could tell that she meant every word she said.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

9:26 PM

Brennan scrubbed the wok, her elbow already growing tired of the back and forth motion. The burnt remnants of the vegetables just wouldn't come off. She pursed her lips, determined. She mentally swore at Booth who allowed the vegetables to burn in the first place. As she began to scrub harder, Booth put his hand over hers in the hot, soapy water.

"I'll do it," he said.

"I am perfectly capable of cleaning pots," she replied briskly. Booth put his other hand on her other hand, essentially trapping her. He was behind her with his arms wrapped around her body.

"I know you are capable of doing it," he said quietly against her ear. "But I want to help you."

"Fine."

Brennan took her hands out of the water. She attempted to grab a nearby towel to dry them, but Booth caught her wrists. He didn't hold her tightly. He never held her tightly. Not after all the pain that had been caused to her wrists years earlier. He kissed the side of her neck, knowing exactly what he was doing. He was trying to seduce her. He was hoping some make-up sex might put the day's events behind them.

"I'm not in the mood," Brennan said, pushing away from him. She managed to get out of his grasp. She grabbed the towel and went into the dining room to finish clearing the table. Dinner had been civil, but certainly not warm. She and Booth barely spoke. Instead they listened as Parker rambled on about his day.

When Brennan returned to the kitchen with their three plates in her hand, she saw Booth standing in front of the sink. He was leaning against the counter, his hands crossed over his chest. The wok was still in the water, forgotten.

"We need to talk," he said.

"We need to finish the dishes."

"We can finish them later."

"No, we need to finish them now."

Booth walked towards her. He attempted to pull the plates from her hands. Brennan held onto them.

"Stop it, Booth. We can talk when I'm done with the dishes."

Booth tugged on the plates a little more. "The dishes aren't important right now, Bones."

Brennan pulled on them even more, trying to keep them in her grasp.

"Yes they are!"

"Fine!"

Booth let go. Brennan stumbled back a few steps and, without the pressure of Booth holding on to them, the dishes fell to the floor. They immediately shattered into tiny pieces.

"Damn it!" Brennan yelled.

She dropped to her hands and knees and began to pick up the broken pieces.

"Bones, leave it. I'll get the dustpan and brush."

Even as Booth spoke, she continued to pick up the pieces. She felt the memories flooding back to her. The memories of hot water and a broken plate and the repercussions of what happened after. She had to get every piece. It was important.

"I'm sorry," Brennan said in a whisper. "I didn't mean it."

Booth watched her methodically picking up every piece. Even though he guessed there were hundreds of pieces lying around her feet, he knew that she would be able to put it back together. If she wanted to, she could take her skeleton glue and make the three plates whole again. But it wasn't the fact that she was obsessively picking them up to put the plates back together that scared him. It was the look in her eyes.

"Bones..." he said quietly. He crouched down beside her and put his hand on her arm. "Bones, you're going to cut yourself. Bones…"

"I'm sorry."

"Look at me."

"No, I have to...I have to pick them up." A tear slid down her cheek and hit the tile floor.

Booth put two fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. He knew exactly what was happening. He knew all about the broken plate and the two days Brennan spent locked in the trunk of a car. They rarely talked about the time she spent in foster care, but he knew enough to know that it had traumatized her.

"Bones, you're safe." She tore her eyes away from him and concentrated back on the pieces. "Temperance..."

She shook her head. "You're going to leave me." She was so quiet, Booth barely heard her.

"What?"

"You're going to leave me," she said a little bit louder.

"You think I'm going to leave you because you broke a plate? Damn it, Bones, I don't care about the plates. Smash all the plates if you want! I don't care because they're just plates."

"Everyone has always left me," she said, ignoring him. "My parents. My brother. Every foster family…nobody cares about..."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence. People care about you, Bones. I care about you. You are everything to me. I love you. Parker loves you. Angela and Hodgins and Cam and Sweets...they all care about you. And I am not going to leave you."

"Yes you will."

Booth could see the fear in her eyes. He could see the scared teenager who was abandoned by her parents and forced to grow up with families who didn't love her. He had to make her believe that he wasn't like them. He took her hand.

"I love you. You and Parker are the most important things in my life. I will never leave you."

"Yes you will because I can't give you a child."

Brennan finished picking up as many pieces as she could hold in her hand of the broken plates. She dropped the pieces into the garbage and went back to the sink to finish the dishes that Booth obviously hadn't. She was determined not to let her emotions get the best of her. She knew what she had to do.

"What?"

"I know you want a baby and I can't give you one."

Brennan put her hands in the soapy water and scrubbed the wok. Booth stood beside her, trying to get her to look at him. She was working as hard at scrubbing the burnt vegetables from the bottom of the wok as she did when she was putting a skeleton back together.

"We don't know that you can't have children, Bones. The doctors said…"

"The doctors said that the probability of me having a child is improbable." Brennan looked over at him. "I have accepted that, but you…you haven't."

"So, it's my fault that I want to hold on to a little hope?"

"No, it's not your fault. I know you want a baby."

"I thought we wanted a baby, Bones. Not just me. We."

Brennan finally got the last bit of food off the wok. She turned on the tap and rinsed it, getting all the soap off. She put the wok in the strainer to let it dry.

"Of course I do, but my happiness does not depend on whether or not I have a child."

Booth took a hand towel from underneath the sink and handed it to Brennan. She dried her hands and then threw the towel on the counter.

"I told you when we got married that I would be happy whether or not we had a child."

Brennan shook her head and headed for the stairs. Booth followed after her. He wasn't sure how to fix what was happening. He had already apologized earlier in the day for getting angry with Brennan for not telling him about the pregnancy test. However, he still hadn't completely gotten over it. He was angry. But it wasn't at Brennan. He had to make her believe that.

"I saw the way you looked at Angela when Hodgins announced she was pregnant."

"Ok, so I was jealous. I was jealous that they are going to have a child and that we, after trying for so long, can't. But that doesn't mean that I don't love you."

As they reached the top of the stairs, Brennan went right into the bedroom. Booth continued to follow her. Once they were both inside, Brennan shut the door so that they wouldn't disturb Parker.

"I know you love me."

"Then why would I leave you?"

"As members of an animal species, we are driven to procreation and I can't…"

Booth shook his head. "No. No anthropology. For once, just tell me what you're feeling without science."

Brennan wasn't sure she knew how. She always relied on science when things got difficult. Science was tangible. Science could be proven. Science was how Brennan's mind worked. She would never be like Booth. She would never be driven by her emotions. That, she realized, was against them from the start. Maybe they were never meant to be happy forever. Maybe it just wasn't possible.

"You need a baby to be happy and I can't give one to you. You deserve someone who can make you happy."

"You make me happy," Booth said.

"Not happy enough. You should be with someone who can give you what you want. Someone like that woman from the park today…Sara's mom."

Booth put his hands on her waist and pulled her towards him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"What?"

"She obviously can bare a child and Parker told me that she is divorced so it makes perfect sense."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

Brennan tried to push away from him, but Booth wouldn't let her. He would never let her push him away again.

"I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy. With you. With you and Parker in this house. If we can't have a baby, Bones, than I am ok with that. I don't want anybody else. And as for Sara's mom, Parker and Sara have been friends since preschool. We were just talking about the social studies project they have due in a few weeks."

"It didn't look like that's what you were talking about."

"Our kids are friends, Bones. That's all there is to it. I'm sorry that you thought differently, but there is nothing going on. You have to trust me."

She sighed. "I do. I'm sorry that I…I was just being…irrational."

Booth nodded. "Sometimes we're all a little irrational. Like this morning…Bones, I'm so sorry about this morning. I overreacted and I let it ruin my whole day."

"Me too."

"After you came to the park and then went back to the lab…you didn't really have work to do at the lab, did you?"

"There is always work to do at the lab."

"Yeah, but nothing that couldn't have waited."

"I was upset after seeing you with that woman. And I was afraid that we would have another confrontation."

"I don't want to fight anymore, Bones."

"We often argue."

"About work," he said. "We can fight about work, but I don't want to fight about us anymore." He pulled her closer to him so their bodies were touching. "I will always love you. No matter what. And even if we never have a child, Bones, I will still love you." He hugged her, leaning his chin on her shoulder.

"I know," she said.

"And I will never leave you," he whispered.

Brennan finally let the tears fall. She had bottled them up, not wanting him to see her so emotional. Booth held her, letting a tear escape from his own eyes. He couldn't deny it. He still wanted a child. But he would never let that come in between them.

"I was thinking…" Brennan said against his chest.

"What?"

She lifted her head up so she was looking in his eyes.

"I was thinking…I know I can't have a child, Booth, but I've been to so many places with so many children who need good homes. It was too late by the time I got into the foster system to find a family who would to take me in, but it's not too late for another child."

"You want to look into adoption?"

"I know the child will not be biologically ours, but I have come to realize that maybe biology is not so important."

Booth smiled. "I love you." He leaned into her and kissed her.

"What do you think?" She asked. Booth let her go and headed for the door. Brennan wasn't sure what to think. "What are you doing?"

"Just stay here."

Booth disappeared out the door. Brennan sat down on the bed, waiting for him to return. He did return less than a minute later, holding a pamphlet. He handed it to Brennan and sat down beside her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"A pamphlet on adoption. I stopped by the adoption agency near the bureau a few days ago and spoke to an adoption agent. She gave me this."

"You spoke to an adoption agent?"

"Just to get some information. She said we would be prime candidates for adoption."

"So you've been thinking about adoption too?"

"After we got the results from our last invetro and we found out you weren't pregnant, I…I started thinking. I love being a dad, Bones. Parker is one of the best things that ever happened to me. And you, you are an amazing mom. I want to be a parent with you, Bones. I want to raise a child with you. It doesn't matter whether a child is biologically ours or not."

"I think you should call that adoption agent."

"I think we should wait until the morning," Booth said, pointing to the clock.

Brennan yawned. "It is rather late."

"We should get some sleep."

Brennan stood up to get some pajamas. She immediately headed for Booth's dresser. As Brennan took out one of Booth's T-Shirts and a pair of his boxers, Booth shed himself of his shirt and Jeans. He slid beneath the blankets. Brennan stripped in front of him and pulled on his clothes. She crawled into the bed next to him. He pulled her towards him so their noses were almost touching. He protectively put his arm over her waist.

"Everything will work out, Bones. Trust me."

"Always," she responded.

"I love you," he said. "Never forget that."

"And I love you."

"Goodnight, Bones."

"Goodnight, Booth."

Wrapped in each other's arms, they both fell into a restful sleep.

Author's Note: So, I know some people were worried about them fighting again in the last chapter, but I hope you enjoyed the make-up. Don't worry, I'm a sucker for happy endings!


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

Ten Months Later

Saturday

11:53 AM

Brennan opened the oven door and looked at the dish inside. The cheese was just beginning to bubble. It was perfectly cooked. Just as Brennan was about to grab a pair of nearby oven mitts, she felt her stomach tighten. The smell of the melted cheese was making her stomach gurgle and it wasn't because she was hungry. She felt sick. Brennan quickly closed the oven. She put her hand to her disgruntled stomach. She paused for thirty seconds, letting her stomach settle.

Knowing that she had to get the casserole out of the oven before it burned, she took the pair of oven mitts and slid them on her hands. She took a deep breath and held it so that she wouldn't have to smell the macaroni. She opened the oven and reached in for the casserole. She took the dish out and set it down on a glass hot plate. As she closed the oven doors, she let her breath out. She took a step back from the casserole so that the smell of cheese wasn't so overwhelming. She didn't remember it being so potent in the past.

Booth's arms snaked around her waist. Brennan gasped out of surprise.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok."

"It smells good," he said.

Brennan didn't tell him that she had to disagree. It did not smell good to her. Booth reached for a spoon and was about to dig in to the dish when Brennan slapped his hand away.

"You have to wait for the guests," she said.

"But your macaroni and cheese is my favorite."

"You can wait."

"Oh, come on," Booth whined. "Macaroni and cheese was the first meal you ever made me."

Brennan smiled. "I remember."

"Does that mean I can have some?"

"No," she said with a smile still on her face. Brennan slipped out of his hold and rid herself of the oven mitts. She opened the refrigerator door and took out a large plastic container of potato salad.

"Make yourself useful," she said, handing him the container.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Put it in that dish," she instructed, pointing to a ceramic bowl that matched the casserole she had cooked the macaroni and cheese in.

"It's a cookout, Bones, not a dinner party," Booth said. "We can just put out the plastic container."

"I will not be putting plastic out on the table. Now put it in the dish."

"Since when did you become Martha Stewart?" Booth asked. He took a spoon and opened the plastic container. He began to spoon the potato salad into the dish.

"I don't know who that is," Brennan said. She felt the nausea return to her stomach. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she felt like she was going to be sick. Brennan grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and took a long drink of water. She desperately needed something to calm her stomach.

"It's only Parker's birthday party, Bones. It's just a backyard cookout with some friends."

"Yes, but it's our first real party at the house and I want everything to be perfect. I read that birthday parties can be very important to young children."

"Trust me, Parker will have a good time whether the dishes match or not."

Booth finished spooning the rest of the potato salad into the dish. He rinsed the plastic container and threw it in the recycling bin. As Brennan covered the macaroni and cheese with aluminum foil to keep it warm, he planted a kiss on the top of her head.

"It will be perfect. I love you for wanting to do this for him."

"Well, he's my son. I wanted to…" Brennan stopped as she realized what she had said. She knew Booth always said Parker was their son, but she had never called him her son before. She always felt protective over Parker. She always wanted to do what was best for him and take care of him, but she never once called him her son out loud.

"He is your son," Booth said quietly. "He loves you. You love him. It's as simple as that."

Brennan nodded. "I want him to love it."

"He will."

Booth captured her lips before she could say another word. It felt like every day she said something or did something that made him love her even more than he did the day before. She was full of amazing surprises.

"You're kissing again?" Parker whined as he walked into the kitchen. "You two are always kissing."

Booth didn't pull away from Brennan. He wanted his son to see how in love he was with her. Parker rolled his eyes.

"Stop complaining," Booth said, finally ending their kiss. He could swear he saw Brennan blushing.

"Where are the guests?" Parker asked.

"It's still early, Parker. We told everyone twelve o'clock."

"I want my friends to get here!"

"They will, bud," Booth replied. "And don't forget, your friends will be here until ten AM tomorrow. You will have plenty of time at your sleepover to hang out with your friends."

"I want them here now!"

"If you keep whining, we will tell them all that the party is canceled and then you won't have any friends over or any presents."

Parker crossed his arms over his chest. Brennan couldn't believe how much he looked like Booth. She had to stifle a laugh. The doorbell rang. Parker raced to get it. As Brennan busied herself with getting the vegetable platter she had made up earlier out of the refrigerator, Booth took the burgers and hotdogs out of the freezer.

"Think we have enough food?" Brennan asked.

"I think we have enough food to last us until Parker's next birthday."

"That would be impossible, Booth. Food cannot last that long without properly being preserved and seeing as how our freezer is only…" Booth gave her his signature Booth look. "Oh. You were joking. That wasn't very funny."

"She's right," Hodgins said as he entered the kitchen. "It wasn't funny."

"It wasn't supposed to be," Booth replied.

"It's just your friends at the door," Parker said as he walked back in the kitchen. His tone of voice didn't hide his disappointed.

"Don't sound so disappointed," Hodgins replied.

"Your friends will be here soon," Booth assured him. "Why don't you take Angela and Hodgin's present outside to the gift table?"

"Can't I open it right now?" Parker asked.

"I told you we will open presents later. Now scoot."

Although he didn't really want to, Parker took the gift from Angela. He mumbled a thank you and then headed out of the room and towards the backyard. Booth walked over to Hodgins and shook his hand. Booth stared down at what he was carrying. Hodgins had a baby carrier in his hands. He lifted the carrier up and put it on the counter. Brennan immediately walked over to the carrier. She pushed down the top that was hanging over the carrier. The baby was sleeping soundly, her right thumb in her mouth. A little dab of drool rolled down her chin. Angela walked in the room with a large wrapped gift in her hand.

"She fell asleep as soon as we got her in the car," Angela said.

"She's gotten so big," Brennan commented.

"Eleven pounds," Angela said proudly. Brennan lightly touched her small hands. Her skin was incredibly smooth.

"Isabel, are you going to say hi to Aunty Temperance?" Hodgins asked in a sing-songy voice.

"She is too young to speak, Dr. Hodgins," Brennan said.

"He knows that, Bones," Booth said. "It's just what people do around babies."

"It's not logical."

"She'll probably be asleep for the next hour or so," Angela said, smiling.

"She's beautiful," Booth commented.

He couldn't take his eyes off Isabel. Although they had seen her dozens of times since she was born, it always amazed Booth how tiny she really was. It had been a long time since he had had a baby. Brennan put her hand on Booth's back. She could still see the longing in his eyes. It was no longer jealousy that Booth felt, though. He was genuinely happy for his friends.

"Can I do anything to help?" Angela asked.

"I think everything is ready," Brennan answered. She put her hand back to her fluttering stomach. Her stomach gurgled. She wondered if Booth had bought more pepto bismal after he had used the last of it the week before.

"Why don't we get out of your way? We can keep Parker company outside," Angela said. "And bring this little one with me. Let us know if you need any help."

Angela picked up the baby carrier and, with Hodgins by her side, walked through the kitchen to the backyard. Brennan took another long sip of water. She was glad they had left. She did not want to throw up in front of her friends.

"You ok?" Booth asked.

"Yes, I'm fine."  
"You sure?"

"Yes. Now why don't you get the burgers started? Everyone should be arriving soon."

"Yes ma'am."

Booth gave her a peck on the cheek before grabbing the dish of burgers and hotdogs. He walked into the backyard with it. Angela was sitting on a lawn chairs with the baby still sleeping in her carrier in front of her. Hodgins was sitting on the swings next to Parker. They were trying to see who could swing highest.

"There are drinks in the cooler," Booth yelled across the yard. He pointed to three coolers that were lined up against the house.

"Thanks."

Booth walked over to the grill. Like most men, he was proud of his grill. It could cook twenty burgers at once to perfection. He lifted the chrome lid and turned the gas knob. It sparked to life.

Booth turned to grab himself a drink from the cooler when he saw Sweets walking into the backyard. After greeting Angela, Sweets walked over to where Booth was standing.

"Nice," he said, admiring the grill. He reached out to touch the cover.

"Hands off, Sweets. You don't mess with another man's grill."

"You know, how a man feels about his grill is a good indicator of his mental state."

"Don't psychoanalyze me at my son's birthday party."

"Right, sorry."

"I've got to get the buns. Don't touch."

Booth shut the lid, giving the grill a chance to heat up. He walked through the backyard and back into the house. He expected to see Brennan in the kitchen, but she wasn't there. Not thinking anything of it, he looked for the hamburger rolls in the bread box. When he didn't see them there, he looked through the cupboards. They were nowhere to be found. Booth glanced around the kitchen, wondering if maybe they were right in front of him and he just couldn't find them. Still coming up empty, Booth decided there was only one thing to do.

"Bones," he yelled.

With his brow furrowed, Booth walked through the house, looking for her. She wasn't anywhere on the first floor. Booth walked up the stairs, continuing to call her name. He went into their bedroom and saw that the bathroom door was closed.

"Hey, Bones, where did you put the…"

He heard the sound of her coughing and then the unmistakable sound of her getting sick. Booth reached for the doorknob and surprisingly found it unlocked. He swung the door open and burst into the bathroom. She was kneeling in front of the toilet.

"Bones," he said, quickly making his way to her side. He knelt down beside her and immediately held her hair back from her face. She emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl.

"I'm fine," she said when she finally felt well enough to speak.

"You're vomiting," he replied.

"It's just nausea."

"Nausea? You never get nauseous."

"Can you get me some water?"

Booth stood up and grabbed a cup from the sink. He filled it with water and then handed it to her. Brennan sat cross legged on the floor, leaning against the wall. She drank the water slowly.

"How long have you felt sick?" Booth asked, sitting opposite her.

"You should be downstairs with our guests."

"How long have you felt sick?"

"Just this morning. It is probably something I ate."  
"Everything you've eaten in the last forty-eight hours, Bones, I've eaten and I'm not sick."

"I'm fine, Booth. It's just a stomach ache."

She stood up and walked over to the sink. She quickly brushed her teeth, trying to make the sour taste in her mouth disappear. Booth stood up slowly and watched her as she brushed her teeth and then fixed her hair. He was trying not to worry. He knew people vomited for several reasons. She could have eaten something that upset her stomach, but not his. She could just have a virus. But what came to Booth's mind wasn't food poisoning or a virus. The only thing that came to his mind was the last time he had seen her throw up.

"Do you remember the last time you were sick, Bones?"

"What?"

"The last time you were sick, Bones. The last time you threw up…do you remember why?"

"I…"

"You were pregnant, Bones. That's why you threw up."

"Booth, I'm not pregnant."

"You don't know that."  
"We've been over this. I can't get pregnant. It's some…virus or something. I'm fine."

Brennan walked out of the bathroom and through the bedrooms. Booth rushed after her.

"You have a stomach of steel, Bones."

"That isn't possible."

"What I mean is nothing makes you sick." As Brennan was halfway down the stairs, Booth put his hand on her shoulder. "When was your last…you know."

"My last what?"

Booth looked over the stairwell to make sure no one else was around.

"When was your last period?" He whispered.

"As I've told you before, Booth, my menstrual cycle is very irregular. My last period was over six weeks ago, but that doesn't mean anything."

"It could mean something. There's one pregnancy test left in the medicine cabinet, Bones. Take it."

"Booth, we both know…"  
"We both know that the possibilities are slim, but not impossible. Just take it, Bones."

"The test has probably expired by now."

"We won't know unless we look."

The doorbell rang. "We have guests."

"Bones…"

"Now is not the time, Booth, but I will think about it."

Brennan made her way down the rest of the stairs and answered the door. One of Parker's friends was standing in front of her, holding a gift bag in one hand and a sleeping bag and pillow in the other.

"Hello Brandon," Brennan said, recognizing him from one of Parker's little league games. "Parker's in the backyard. You can put your things in the living room."

The boy dropped his things next to the couch and ran to find Parker in the backyard. Brennan turned to look at Booth.

"What did you want me for?" She asked.

"What?"

"When you came into the bathroom, you were about to ask me something. What was it?"

Booth had completely forgotten all about the hamburger rolls.

"Oh…I was wondering where you put the rolls."

"I left them in the bag on the dining room table."

"Right." Booth wasn't sure how to feel. He wanted desperately to run upstairs, get the pregnancy test, and force Brennan to take it, but that wasn't an option. "I should go start the burgers."

"I will bring the rest of the food outside."

Booth stood on the stairs for a minute as Brennan went into the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, he finally made his way down the stairs and to the backyard. Hodgins and Sweets were standing by the grill, each holding a beer. He saw Parker kicking a soccer ball around with Brandon. Angela was still sitting on the lawn chairs, watching Isabel sleep.

"This is quite the machine," Hodgins complimented. "But I could juice it up if you wanted. Just a little…"

"Nobody touches the grill," Booth said.

He opened the lid and began to throw the raw burgers onto the grill. Angela approached the three men. She put her hand on Hodgin's arm.

"I'm going to help Brennan. Keep an eye on Isabel."

Hodgins nodded. Angela walked through the sliding doors back into the kitchen. Brennan was slicing a pineapple to be put on the fruit tray she was making.

"How can I help?" Angela asked.

"You could get the condiments out of the fridge."

Angela went to the refrigerator and began taking out the ketchup, mustard, pickles, and other necessary items.

"So, have you heard anything from the adoption agency?" Angela asked as she placed the assorted bottles and jars on a tray to be brought outside.

"Not yet. Our adoption agent said it could take time. I have to admit, it is difficult to wait.'

"How is Booth feeling about it?"

"He is anxious. He too would like a baby as soon as possible."

"It will happen, Brennan. When it's time, it will happen."

"That what Booth says."

"That's because great minds think alike." Angela snatched a piece of pineapple away from Brennan and popped it in her mouth. "So, you two are really going to have eight boys sleeping over tonight?"

"That is correct. Parker really wanted to have a sleepover."

"Good luck."

"What do you mean?"

"They're boys, Brennan. You'll be lucky if your house is in one piece by the time they leave tomorrow."

"They're only young children, Angela. How difficult could it be?"

Angela smiled.

"You'll find out."

She picked up the condiment tray and carried it outside. Brennan looked out the glass doors and saw Booth standing at the grill, flipping the burgers. He caught her eye and smiled. Even though she didn't know how she knew, Brennan had the feeling that everything was going to be alright.

Author's Note: I just wanted to say that I really liked writing this chapter. It's fun writing them as such a domestic couple. Thanks for reading!


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

9:58 PM

Booth opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. Brennan was sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard. She had a magazine open on her lap. She looked up when Booth walked in.

"How are Parker and his friends?" Brennan asked.

Booth closed the door behind him. He walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. He began to take off his shoes.

"They've all got their sleeping bags set up on the floor of the living room. They're arguing over who gets to sleep on the couch."

"I'm sure the fairest way to decide would be to see which child has problems with his spine or any muscular problems. After all, that child shouldn't be sleeping on a hard floor. I could go look to see…"

"Bones, they're just children," Booth said as he stripped off his signature striped socks. "I'm sure they can figure it out. Besides, they've got a full bowl of popcorn, enough sodas to last them until morning, and some horror movie. They'll be perfectly fine."

"Do you really think it's appropriate for Parker to be watching a horror movie? And isn't it too late for them to be having soda?"

"Yes and no."

"I don't understand."

"It's a boy's birthday party, Bones. Horror movies and soda is what they do."

"Oh."

"Tomorrow morning we'll wake up and they'll be in a junk food coma."

"I don't believe that's a real thing," Brennan said.

"Trust me, it's a real thing. Hey, you know Parker's friend Trent?"

"The one with the asymmetrical facial bones?"

Booth pulled his t-shirt over his head and threw it in the direction of the hamper. Brennan rolled her eyes as it fell on the floor right next to the hamper.

"Uh…yeah. Anyway, I think he's got a crush on you. He kept asking me about you and talking about how pretty you were. He said you're the hottest mom he's ever seen."

"Maybe I should go down there and explain to him that it would be inappropriate for us to have a relationship due to our age differential."

"Not to mention the fact that you're married."

"Yes, that also makes it inappropriate."

"It's just a crush, Bones. Every boy has a crush on an older woman at least once."

"I don't think that's a proven theory."

"Oh yes it is. For me it was Mrs. Sherman. She was my fifth grade teacher. She would always wear these short skirts. I think every boy in the school had a crush on her."

"It seems inappropriate that a teacher whose job it is to teach young children is wearing short skirts."

"Forget it."

He slipped out of his Jeans and threw it in the same direction as his shirt.

"Can't you ever put your clothes in the hamper?" Brennan wondered.

"What are you reading?" Booth asked, changing the subject.

"The Journal of Anthropological Research," she answered. "They just found remains on the island of…"  
"I shouldn't have asked," Booth mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He turned so he was facing her. "So, have you…you know."

"Have I what?"

"Taken the pregnancy test?"

Brennan buried her nose back in the magazine, not wanting to talk about the pregnancy test any more.

"Booth, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why?"

"Because I already know I'm not pregnant."

"You don't know that." He took the magazine out of her hands and put it down on the bedside table so that she didn't have anything to distract her anymore. "You've been sick. You don't know when your last period was. Just…take the test, Bones. What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"That you'll get your hopes up."

Booth reached across the bed to stroke her hair.

"Take the test, Bones. For me. Please."

"Are you sure you'll be ok when it turns out to be negative?"

"If, Bones. If it turns out to be negative. And yes, I will be ok. I love you, no matter what."

Brennan sighed. "Ok."

Booth kissed her lightly and Brennan slid off the bed. She walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Booth stared at the closed door. He almost wished that he could somehow be in there with her, helping her. Of course he knew what she was doing in there did not require his help. As Booth started pacing around the room, his cell phone rang. He hoped it wasn't a dead body. He had made it very clear that, no matter what was happening, he and Brennan were to have the night off. He didn't want anything to spoil his son's birthday party. Booth pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Booth," he answered.

"Mr. Booth, this is Diane Lawson from the adoption agency."

"Yes, hello. How are you?"

"I am very well. I'm sorry that I'm calling so late."

"That's fine."

"The thing is, I have what I hope will be good news and I didn't want to wait to tell you."

Brennan flushed the toilet and put the pregnancy test on the edge of the sink. She washed her hands and took out her phone. She quickly programmed the alarm to go off in ten minutes when the test would be ready. As soon as she was done, Brennan looked at herself in the mirror. She had to prepare herself for what she would say to Booth when the results came back negative. Taking a deep breath, Brennan walked out of the bathroom. Booth was sitting where she had left him on the bed. He was staring straight ahead. His cell phone was in his hand.

"Did I hear your phone ring?" Brennan asked as she approached the bed.

"Yeah."

"Was it a case?" Booth shook his head. "Booth, are you alright?"

Booth finally turned to look at her. "That was Diane from the adoption agency."

"What did she say?" Brennan asked, suddenly feeling a twinge of excitement deep in her gut. They had been waiting for a call from the adoption agency for a very long time.

"She said they have a baby they want us to meet."

"What?"

"She was just brought in."

"How old is she?"

"Sixteen months."

"Sixteen months?"

"Yeah."

"But that's…that's the same age that…our baby would have been."

"I know." That was the first thing Booth thought of when Diane told him the age. Even though he and Brennan never got to meet their baby, she was never far from his mind.

"What else did Diane say?"

"That the baby's parents were teenagers. The father wanted nothing to do with the baby and the mother just…she recently died in a car accident."

"That's terrible."

"She's been in foster care for three weeks. The mother didn't have much family and the family she did have disowned her after she got pregnant. Nobody in the family wants the baby. She's in good health. She's walking and already saying a few words. I know she's not exactly a newborn, but…"

"But what?"

"Maybe it's a sign," Booth said.

"A sign? I don't know what you mean."

"This baby is the same age our baby would be. She needs someone, Bones. She needs a loving family. Why not us?"

"What's her name?"

"Rachel."

"Rachel," Brennan repeated.

"Diane wants to know if we want to come down and meet her tomorrow afternoon."

Brennan nodded. "I think that would be a very good idea."

"You do?"

"Yes."

Booth wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. He felt like everything was coming together. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up. There were a lot of hurdles to jump over before they would be able to have Rachel or any other baby, but it was a start. It was a very good start.

Booth peppered Brennan's neck with kisses, eventually making his way up to her lips. He fell backwards on the bed, pulling her on top of him. Her hands roamed to his boxers as he rolled her over so he was on top of her.

"I love you," she said.

Booth replied by kissing her. Just as he began to pull her shirt off of her, a ringing sound filed the air.

"That better not be a dead body," Booth mumbled.

"It's not a phone call," Brennan replied as she pushed Booth's Jeans past his knees. "It's my alarm."

"Why is your alarm going off?" Booth panted.

"Because it's been ten minutes since I took the pregnancy test."

Brennan was about to rid Booth of his shirt when he sat straight up.

"I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"About the pregnancy test. I was so excited about Diane's call. I…"

Brennan sat up next to him, a little perturbed that they hadn't finished what they started.

"It's ok, Booth. We don't have to look."

"What?"

"Booth, we both know that the test is negative."

"I know it's a long shot, Bones, but we have to look."

Booth stood up. He took her hand and they walked into the bathroom together. The pregnancy test was laid out on the counter next to the sink. They both approached the sink. Brennan closed her eyes as they stepped closer to read it. She knew what the result would be. She just hoped Booth would be able to get over it.

"What do two lines mean?" Booth asked.

Brennan's eyes shot open. She looked at the test. She picked it up to get a closer look, not caring that minutes earlier she had peed on the stick.

"What does it mean, Bones?"

"I…" She couldn't finish the sentence. She picked up the box she had thrown in the garbage, thinking she had misread the directions. But, Brennan was rarely wrong. This was no exception.

"What? What does it mean?"

"It could be a false positive."

"What? What does that mean?"

Brennan put the test back on the counter. She held the box up to Booth and showed him the diagram on the front of the box.

"Two lines means I'm pregnant."

"What? You're pregnant?"

Brennan couldn't believe what she was seeing. Of course she could see the evidence in front of her. She did have two very distinct pink lines. That didn't mean, though, that she was one hundred percent pregnant and Brennan knew it.

"As I said, it could be a false positive. These things are often incorrect. I will have to take a blood test to be sure. I…"

"But it…it says positive."

"Well, yes, but as I said it may not be accurate. We will have to wait until I take a blood test."

"Can't you do that at the lab?"

"Yes, I suppose I could."

"Then let's go."

Booth tugged one her hand, ready to lead her out of the bathroom.

"We can't go right now."

"Why not?"

"Because we have seven boys sleeping in our living room. I don't think their parents would be very happy if we left them unattended."

"Right. Of course."

Brennan could see the hope in his eyes.

"Booth, please don't get too excited."

"I'm not, I'm just…hopeful."

"I just don't want you to be disappointed," Brennan said in a quiet voice.

Booth kissed her forehead on his spot. The one spot that would always be his.

"I won't be disappointed."

Brennan looked him in the eye. "Even if it is correct, Booth, there is a possibility that I won't be able to carry a baby to term."

"We're not going to talk about that. We're not even going to think about it. Let's just take it one day at a time. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Come on, let's go to bed."

"Can't we get back to having sex?" Brennan asked.

Booth chuckled. "As long as we're not too loud. I don't think Parker's friend's parents would be too happy if they heard us have sex."

"How would Parker's friend's parents hear us?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"Forget it. Just kiss me."

Brennan complied, hungrily connecting her lips to his. With Booth's hands wandering down her back, Brennan hopped up and wrapped her legs around Booth's waist. He supported her weight with his body and began walking them to the bedroom. When they were close enough, Booth threw her onto the bed playfully. As she fell, her hair sprawled out on the bedspread and her shirt rose so it was just above her ribs. Booth couldn't help but look at her flat stomach. He silently prayed that it wouldn't be flat for too long. He couldn't help but be excited. The pregnancy test was positive. They were going to get their perfect family after all.

"Booth," Brennan said as he kissed her navel.

"Mmm?"

"What about Rachel?"

He lifted his head up. She propped herself on her elbows so she could look him in the eyes.

"The baby that Diane told you about. If I am pregnant and if I can carry this baby to term…what about Rachel?"

"I guess I will have to call Diane back and tell her she will have to take our name off the adoption list."

Although the thought of having their own child made Booth more excited than he thought possible, the thought of not having the baby he knew so little about made his heart hurt. He had already started to love Rachel even though she wasn't even theirs yet.

"Let's wait until after the blood test tomorrow," Brennan suggested.

Booth nodded. He thought about what Diane said. Rachel had been in foster care for three weeks. He couldn't help but think of Brennan locked in the car trunk for days because of one foster care parent.

"Booth? Are you ok?" Brennan asked.

Booth hadn't realized he had been staring off. He looked at Brennan.

"What if we don't call Diane?"

"I don't understand."

He took a deep breath. "What if we take in Rachel no matter what the blood test says tomorrow?"

"You mean adopt her anyway?"

Booth nodded. "Why not? We've got the space, we've got the money, we've got the love to share. Bones, even if you are pregnant, why not give Rachel a good home? Why not love her too?"

"You'd really want to have two babies at the same time?"

Booth nodded. "We both wanted a family. Well, let's make one, Bones. Let's make our family complete."

"There's no guarantee that we will be able to adopt Rachel nor do we know for sure if I am actually pregnant. We might end up alone after all."

Booth took a pause to think about his next words carefully. "I know you don't believe in fate, Bones, but I do. And this…this is fate. Finding out about Rachel and finding out that you're pregnant at the same time…"

"Might be pregnant," Brennan corrected.

"Either way, this is meant to be. I have faith, Bones. I have faith that we're about to start a family."

"I would like that."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

"I told you it would all work out."

"I know."

"Thank you for trusting me."

"Always."

She reached up and pulled him down on top of her, ready to finish what they started.

Author's Note: Only two chapters left. Thank you to everyone who has stuck by me and my story all this time! Happy Labor Day to all of my American readers!


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

6 Years Later

Saturday

7:37 PM

Booth's hand slid down Brennan's back and came to rest right above her tail bone. He could feel the smooth satin material and the heat that was emanating from her skin beneath it. He was absolutely in love with that particular black dress. It was short, coming just an inch above her knee. The top was cut high, but there was only one strap that hugged one shoulder. The other shoulder was bare, giving Booth even more skin to touch. Her makeup was light, which he appreciated. She didn't need much makeup at all. She was naturally beautiful. And the heels she was wearing; those heels were meant to drive him crazy.

As they walked towards the front of the restaurant, Booth could smell her indescribable scent. It was the perfume she always wore. It never failed to turn him on.

"If these reservations weren't so difficult to get," Booth said, leaning in close to her ear, "I'd call the valet right now and take you back to that five star hotel we're staying in tonight and we would get back to what we were doing earlier."

Brennan smiled as Booth's hands traveled even lower. Even after ten years of marriage, Booth still wanted her as much as she wanted him.

"I believe that could be arranged," she said.

"As tempting as that is, I did have to make these reservations six months in ago. It would be a shame to waste them when I've heard that the dessert here is to die for."

"Well then perhaps you shouldn't have the dessert as I wouldn't want you to die," Brennan said with the usual look on her face when she thought she had made a joke. Booth humored her and smiled. She laughed at her own joke.

"That was a good one, Bones," Booth said.

"Although I do wish you had told me that we were going to this restaurant. If I had known, I would have called my publisher and gotten us the best table without reservations."

"Well, excuse me for not being as famous as you."

"You don't need to be excused, Booth. I don't expect you to be as famous as me."

"Well, that's a relief."

They approached the door. Putting pressure on her back, Booth urged her to go ahead of him.

"Do you think they're alright?"

Booth smiled, wondering what had taken her so long to ask that question.

"They're fine," Booth replied.

"We are early for our reservation. We could take a minute to call Angela."

"You called her two hours ago when we arrived at the hotel."

"That was two hours ago. Anything could have happened in two hours, Booth. We, of all people, know about the negative things that can happen to people."

"If something was wrong, Angela would call us."

"But..."

"You are not calling her again, Bones. Alexander and Rachel are fine. They're probably having the time of their lives with Hodgins and Angela and Isabel. Hodgins is probably showing Alex some really gross science experiment and Rachel is probably playing with Barbies with Isabel as we speak. They're perfectly fine."

"Logically, you are probably correct although I suspect that Rachel is more interested in Hodgins' experiment than in Isabel's Barbies."

"You're right. She is turning into the little scientist, isn't she? She takes after her mother." Booth kissed her forehead as they approached the door.

"I still think I should call Angela, just to be sure that everything is alright."

"You trust Angela and Hodgins, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"Then why are you so worried?"

"Because they're our children, Booth, and I love them."

Booth took her hand and brought it to his lips. He kissed it softly. Ever since she had become a parent, the changes in Brennan were blatantly apparent. She expressed her feelings, she showed loved openly, and the way she acted towards her children was amazing. She was an incredible mother who wanted the best for her children.

"And I love that you're worried."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I do. And I worry too, Bones. I think about Rachel and Alex and Parker all the time, but tonight is about us and I know they're fine." Booth held out his hand. "Give me your phone."

"What?"

"Your phone. Give me your phone."

"Why?"

"Because otherwise you'll be sneaking texts under the table and excusing yourself every chance you get to call them. This is our anniversary, Bones. We're supposed to be having a good time together, not worrying about our children, who are perfectly safe and being taken care of."

"I am having a good time. I don't see why I have to give you my phone."

"If you don' t give it to me willingly, Bones, I will have to take it by force."

He had a mischievous look in his eye. Brennan cocked her eyebrow.

"Try it."

"You might want to rethink that, Bones," Booth said seductively, taking a step closer to her. He ran his hand up and down her back while his lips came dangerously close to hers. "You are in a dress and heels."

"I could still take you."

"I bet you could."

As Booth kissed her, he slid his hand into her purse. After fishing around for a moment, he pulled out her cell phone and slid it into his pocket.

"Come on, Bones," he said abruptly, cutting off their kiss. "Let's go eat."

Booth reached for the door handle and opened it. Brennan walked in ahead of him. They were greeted by a hostess at the door. Booth gave his last name and they were told that their table would be ready very shortly. Taking Brennan by the hand, Booth led her over to the bar area.

Brennan glanced around the restaurant. It was an hour outside of DC in Virginia. She and Booth had left earlier that afternoon. Booth hadn't told her any details when they left. He simply said that he was taking her away from a surprise weekend. Of course it was only one night, but Booth was going to make sure that their twenty-four hours away from their children was going to be all about them. He was sparing no expense. The hotel and restaurant were the best in town.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked with a wink.

"I will take a martini," Brennan answered. "I'm going to go to the restroom."

"To call Angela?" Booth asked with a smug look. He knew very well that calling Angela was not going to be possibility with her phone safely in his jacket pocket.

"No. I simply need to use the restroom. I will be right back."

Before she left, Brennan leaned against him. She knew that Booth had her phone. She had felt him reach into her purse. She was determined to get it back and he wasn't going to know about it. Brennan wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close to her as she attached her lips to the side of his neck.

"Bones," he whimpered. As she sucked lightly, most likely leaving a mark, Booth arched his neck, turning his head the other way. He knew they were in public and that he should stop her, but it felt so good. With him distracted by her lips, Brennan slipped her hand into his jacket pocket. She expertly took out her phone and put it in her purse before he could even notice.

As soon as she had what she wanted, Brennan turned and went off to find the bathroom. Booth was left, feeling dazed. She had that ability on him. She could turn him from an intelligent, strong man to a puddle on the floor in seconds. Booth straightened his tie. He turned towards the bar and ordered a martini for Brennan and a shot whiskey for himself.

"She's beautiful," a man said.

Booth turned and saw an elderly gentleman standing beside him. He was most likely in his seventies, Booth guessed, with snow white hair. He was holding a glass of scotch in his hand.

"Excuse me?"

"The woman you were with. She's a real looker."

"Yes, she is," Booth agreed.

"Tell me you were smart enough to marry that woman."

Booth smiled. "Yes, sir."

The bartender handed him his whiskey and put Brennan's martini in front of him.

"Good man. My wife was a beauty like her. Still is. Even after fifty years of marriage, she still turns my head. How long you two been married?"

"Ten years." Booth knew that their ten years compared to that man's fifty was nothing spectacular, but it was something. There was a point when Booth didn't know if he would ever get her to agree to marry him. There was a point when he didn't know if he would ever be able to tell her his true feelings. They had come a long way to get to those ten years.

"Treat her right," the man said. "You don't want to lose a woman like that."

"No, you don't."

"How did you two meet?"

"We…ah…worked together. We worked together for a long time before we finally, you know, figured it out. It took us a while to decide if it was worth the risks."

"It's always worth the risk, my friend."

"You're right. It is. How about you and your wife? How did you meet?"

"My appendix burst when I was nineteen. She was the nurse who took care of me after surgery. One year later, we were married."

"One year, huh?"

"When you know, you know."

"You're right."

The man raised his glass. "To our wives," he toasted.

"To our wives," Booth said, picking up his glass. He knocked it against the man's glass and they both drank.

In the bathroom, Brennan went right for the sinks. She took her cell phone and was about to dial Angela's number when she realized her phone wasn't on. Confused, Brennan turned on the power switch. Nothing happened. She slid open the back of the phone. The battery was missing.

"Oh Booth," she said, smiling. He had somehow managed to take out the battery when he was in possession of her phone.

"Do you need to borrow my phone, honey?" An older woman said as she walked out of one of the bathroom stalls. "I don't quite know how it works, but you're welcome to use it. My husband says I need to keep it for emergencies."

"Oh no, thank you," Brennan said. "It's not that important. I was just going to call to make sure my children were ok. My husband says I worry about them too much and that they're just fine."

The woman went over to the sinks and began washing her hands. Brennan slid the phone back in her purse. She wouldn't be able to call Angela after all. Knowing that she couldn't just return to Booth right away because it would look too conspicuous if she went back too soon, Brennan stood in front of the mirror and reapplied her lipstick. It was a light red, giving her lips just enough color.

"My husband used to tell me that all the time. Although my children are all grown now and have children of their own. Now I have even more people to worry about. Of course, back then it wasn't so easy to keep in touch. We didn't have those fancy cell phones or computers or what have you."

"The technological advances in society have greatly benefited our society."

"You speak like my oldest son. He's a chemist."

"Then he has chosen a very admirable profession. My daughter very much likes chemistry, but she is only seven so it remains to be seen what her profession will actually be."

"How many children do you have?" The woman asked. Brennan reached over and took a white hand towel from the basket behind the sink. She handed it to the woman who thanked her and dried her hands.

"Three." Brennan reached into her purse and took out her wallet. She pulled out a wallet-size picture of Parker, Rebecca, and Alex. Parker and Alex were dressed in suits while Rachel was in a red velvet dress. They were standing in front of a Christmas tree. It was the picture they had put on their last Christmas card.

"That's Parker," she said, pointing to him. "And that's Alex and Rachel."

"You have a beautiful family."

"Thank you." Brennan put the picture away. "I should get back to my husband."

"And I should get back to mine. Shall we?"

Brennan held the door open and walked out with the woman. She spotted Booth still at the bar.

"Happy anniversary, my dear," the woman said as they walked towards the bar.

Brennan stopped. "How did you know it was our anniversary?"

"I can see that look in your eye. You are a woman in love."

"I don't see how looking in someone's eyes can…"

The woman laughed. "You really do sound like my son. Have a good evening."

"Thank you. You as well."

When he spotted her, Booth stood up and approached her. The woman headed off to meet her husband who was still sitting at the bar.

"So, how were the kids?" Booth asked with a smile.

"You know I didn't call them."

"Do I?"

"Where's my battery, Booth?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He kissed her smiling mouth. "Come on, our tables ready." He put his hand back at her lower back and walked through the restaurant where the hostess had told him their table was. He pulled out her chair and helped push her in when she sat. Before he took his own seat, he leaned in and gave her a long, lingering kiss.

"What was that for?"

"I love you. Isn't that reason enough?"

The waiter approached them, not giving Brennan a chance to respond. He gave them their menus and told them the specials for the day. When he left, Brennan immediately opened the menu and, without reading everything, picked what she was going to order. She closed the menu and placed it on the table.

"Done so soon?"

"I'm in a hurry."

"Are you?"

"The sooner we get done here, the sooner you can show me just how much you love me."

"I like the way you think."

"Most people do. I am highly intelligent."

Booth laughed, reached across the table, and kissed her, looking forward to the next fifty years.

Author's Note: So I know that some people might be upset about this chapter because I chose to jump 6 years in the future rather than picking up where the last chapter left off, but it made sense in my mind to look into the future. I hope it was obvious to everyone that Brennan did actually get pregnant and have Alex and that they chose to adopt Rachel. I got the names from my actual niece and nephew (who I adore!). Thank you for reading. One more chapter left!


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